Five mindsets to help navigate the uncertainty

I have spoken before of the five key mindsets of brilliant teaming and they are highly relevant today. Here are some examples of how each mindset can apply in the current situation.

Inclusivity

How can you ensure all members of your team feel involved and are able to contribute when you are not in the same physical space? Check in with everyone at the beginning of meetings. Make sure everyone has a chance to contribute and put ideas forward.

Ask questions and listen to the needs of colleagues and customers. Ask how their families are. Are they having to care for anyone? Where possible, allow team members to adapt their working patterns to suit both their professional and personal needs, or consider adjusting timeframes to ease the strain on your suppliers where possible.

With the deliberate effort to include everyone and ask about each other more than we might have done in normal circumstances, it is even possible that teams will come out of this experience stronger and more connected than they were before.

Growth

This is a new way of working for most and our normal supply chains are likely to be disrupted. There will be setbacks and we will do things that could be done better. With a growth mindset, we can face the challenge, learn from mistakes, ensure we are resilient if things don’t work out first time and keep trying new solutions. Try faster, fail faster, learn faster.

Accountability

With disrupted working, accountability becomes more important than ever. Leaders need to trust that their colleagues will still get things done, and those colleagues need to show that they can stick to deadlines and quality standards. Given the challenges I spoke about previously, open communication is critical to ensure accountability. Ensure everyone understands what is required and when, that they have the skills and tools to do it, and that they have the courage and commitment to step forward. Things may take a little longer than usual so manage expectations, give realistic timeframes and do what you say you will do. And, if something does go wrong, commit to putting it right as quickly as possible.

Possibility

With disruption there will be many new possibilities. New ways of working and communicating, maybe more time to focus on personal interests, and new opportunities for products and services.

What is your vision of how things will be when we enter our new normality – what is possible for you, your team and your organisation?

Winning

During this time, some people will choose to take time off, some will be forced to take time off and some will be de-energised and therefore become less productive. If you can construct a routine that works for you, keep yourself and your team energised and actively seek opportunities, you can thrive through the challenge and get set up to come out of it stronger than you were before.

You can find out more about these five mindsets and the skillsets that support them in our free ‘Performance Teaming Emergency Toolkit’. You’ll also receive guides to 12 tools that will help you lead in a crisis, as well as set up a team and lead a project.

Please follow this link to access the free toolkit that can help you achieve the best you can in the disruption and uncertainty we face today.