Back in January, when headlines about a novel coronavirus outbreak in China first appeared, I didn’t feel very concerned. I even posted a bad joke about it on my social media account. “Coronavirus on the rise? I’ll probably be fine. Thanks CDC.” After all, other majorly publicized viruses like Ebola and Sars had raged overseas, but not drastically affected day to day life in the United States. My privilege is showing, but I felt immune and safe.
It wasn’t until late February that I started to get worried. Death tolls exploded in Europe. The economy fell apart. And by mid-March we were in lockdown. In an amazingly short amount of time, COVID-19 drastically reshaped the global marketplace and social fabrics worldwide. To survive the looming crisis, leaders had to adapt quickly.
Especially now, leadership decisions continue to critically impact the future of their organizations as well as customers and employees alike. Because new information about the virus keeps developing and governmental policies continue to swing in accordance, leaders need to be ready to turn on a dime.
In a recent study in which we assessed LEA 360™ data from 18,272 participants, we uncovered insights about the behavior patterns of leaders who are seen as effectively leading organizational change. These behavior patterns can serve as a guide for leaders seeking to navigate shifting professional landscapes.
A few highlights from the study: leaders who are seen as effective at leading organizational change consider the broad implications of their decisions while anticipating risks; they are experimental in their thinking; and they prioritize keeping others informed and invested in the work.
Change has been a constant for the last two decades. But in this time of extreme uncertainty, organizations have an even greater need for leaders who can help navigate the way forward.
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Also, if there’s anything we at MRG can do to help support you or advise you as you transition to more online coaching, training, and facilitation in the coming weeks, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re all working through this together (even if we’re apart!).
