We’re living through uncertain times. The combination of economic and political factors are stressful to many, plus there is the looming worry of the pandemic. To put it simply, many people are going through a crisis situation. With the world changing seemingly overnight, everyday life has turned on its head. Remote work is the new normal. For most of us, this is overwhelming not just individually, but to our businesses as well. As business leaders, we acknowledge that the way we live has changed, including ways to de-stress.
Now, more than ever, highlights the need to take care of our emotional well-being. These strategies will help leaders to build their safety nets and preserve their emotional strength and safeguard their employees’ emotional health during this and other times of crisis.
Practice healthy emotional hygiene
As the adage goes, misery loves company, and like yawns, emotions are contagious. Leaders must be aware of their emotional response to a situation, as it can trigger a similar emotion among colleagues. Recent neuroscience has discovered that when one mimics an emotion, it typically evokes the same emotion within them. While we must be conscious of our negative emotions, it’s also possible to use this emotional contagion to our advantage. Mindfulness techniques, showing kindness, and interacting with high-quality people (even virtually) can positively impact your mood. By investing in techniques that can help you stay calm, people around you may begin to mimic that same emotion as well.
Staying connected
Before you can expect your employees to perform at their fullest potential, you need to learn how best to support them. This means meeting your employees where they are and taking the time to understand their anxieties, frustrations, and pain points; this is an integral part of building trust. Virtual team-building opportunities can allow your team to explore new ways to stay connected and dive deeper into what inspires them to support each other as they progress towards their goals.
Open and honest communication
In times of crisis, it is of utmost importance to project calm and aim for honest and transparent communication. Change is happening rapidly, often occurring daily or even hourly and taking effect the following day. This puts many people in a vulnerable spot, and honesty will help you stay in your lane of truth and transparency.
