Communication During COVID and Crisis [Part 5/6]: Developing Leaders Within

The world continues to change, rapidly. Last time we talked about communicating internally, here’s a brief overview of those tips:

• Be intentional

• Be empathetic

• Revisit policies and procedures

• Identify a communication czar

• Create fair and equitable remote work and remote work guidelines

We have two podcasts left in this series and I wanted to talk about something a little different. Forward-thinking non-profits, and other organizations, should use this time as an opportunity to develop leaders within. For varying reasons: it is a good time to delegate (so as to not be overwhelmed); the focus on virtual professional development has never been greater; and you can leave a legacy of success that outlasts you.

Tip 1: Delegation

• Establish your point person, but engage other talented people.

• Be careful because you don’t want to overwhelm, but the time is ripe to call people in your organization to add continual value-we are in a state of urgency and, practically, a state of urgency will separate out levels of competency.

• Are there capable people in your organization asking for more responsibility? Oblige them. This HBR article is worth your time right now. The article addresses leading during a crisis.

• Delegating during a crisis has risks:

• The person may not work well under crisis

• The task could be performed incorrectly

• But, as the leader, how much bandwidth do you have right now? Is the delegation risk worth the reward?

Tip 2: Encourage (and develop) Virtual Training and Professional Development

• This is a big one-we have entered, somewhat reluctantly for some, the digital development age.

• Digital training can be cost effective and, I would argue, just as effective.

• Millennials and Gen Z, those who are craving for professional development, have long preferred digital options

• So, what’s holding you back?

• I am passionate about well-executed training and teaching in all contexts, especially virtual-I can help you design, develop, and facilitate virtual or face-to-face training

• The time is now to invest in your people and encourage them to invest in themselves

Tip 3: Leave a Legacy

• One of my favorite preachers is John Piper, Piper says that during a crisis is not a time to prepare people for suffering. You prepare people to suffer for months, years, and decades before the crisis so that when the crisis occurs, they are ready.

• My hope is that you have been preparing your people and have other leaders around you. If not, we need to establish a plan of action to ensure the burden is more equally distributed in the future.

• Invest in competent employees with big dreams, establish a line of succession, people may leave, that’s always a risk, but investment is worth it

• We are all mortal; will your organization outlast you? It should…

Ultimately, you may not be thinking about developing the leaders around you right now, but it’s a perfect time to do so.

Questions? Comments? Other struggles? Send me an email michaelstrawser@legacyctc.com or visit my website www.legacyctc.com. Let me know how I can help.