Leadership during Covid times

Covid times require a leader to start with empathy because each one of us including you are equally vulnerable to the following.

1. Contracting the Covid-19 virus
2. A drop in income
3. Restriction of movement

So how do we tackle the above mentioned three aspects with empathetic leadership at home and at the work place?

Preventive measures for Covid-19 (Needs diligence)

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - You don’t have to invent the wheel again for implementing preventive measures for contracting the spread of Covid-19 at your home or workplace. The WHO and large manufacturing companies such as Toyota have already come up with SOPs during Covid times. All you need to do is get someone to take responsibility for implementing these measures in your home or workplace and conduct regular monitoring of them. The Covid in-charge actually has to be like a monitor in a classroom calling out persons not adhering to the SOPs. You could even setup or use existing CCTVs for monitors to do their job.

Work From Home (WFH) - Deciding strategically who works from home and when, is an exercise that must be done with focus and understanding. Regular feedback from employees on the pros and cons of working from home on particular jobs must be taken to get a better understanding on what’s working for your organisation.

Tackling drops in income (A hard task that needs gentleness)

Dropping Costs - Dropping costs can offset drops in incomes in a business so that the bottom line doesn’t go into the red. Negotiations with your supply chain will yield results because right now everybody is looking for movement in business so that their revenues pick up even if it is at a discount.

Reduction of Emoluments - Reduction of emoluments of employees have to be handled in small groups and should be need based. You cannot reduce these emoluments to a level where monthly bills and rents cannot be paid by employees. A talk with each level of employee to know their needs and then come to a collective decision will keep the motivations in your organisation charged.

Deep Discounts - Deep discounts on the goods and services you offer will drive your dropping revenues from almost nil to at least 50-60% of what they were pre-Covid. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish when deciding your discount plans.

Innovation - Innovation is positive and positively the winner of all of the above, for tackling drops in income. Digital platforms have proved their worth during Covid times and are the favoured route for delivery of goods and services during these times. You have to lead the digital transformation of your business whichever way you can and there is no way out for this. Innovation happens with innovative people. Identify the innovative people in your organisation and together with them develop a new product or service strategy. It may not be exactly what the market needs so do a pilot of a Minimum Viable Product to test its performance in the market place. The best designs are those designed with empathy.

Restriction of movement (Try the many options to overcome this challenge)

Video Calls - Depression has to be handled by augmenting your life-satisfaction by having video calls with loved ones regularly and daily calls are recommended.

Exotic Meals - Not being able to go out for exotic meals has to be handled by either learning to cook great meals from the many recipe websites and video channels now available free or ordering in a meal from any of the home delivery Mobile apps operational in your city.

Movies - Not being able to go out for movies has to be handled either by subscribing to movie Apps or channels and watching your choice of films from the comfort of your home.

Shopping - Not being able to shop has to be handled by shopping online from the array of online shopping websites and Mobile apps. Don’t forget to buy your favourite book too and curl up in a cozy corner of your home to read it. This will take care of a lot of Covid-19 adverse conditions.

It seems, all you need is the will to love yourself, love others and love your work to reach a work-life balance to thrive in a Covid world.

We are all in it together

If it’s not empathetic, it’s pathetic - Corona Days

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Covid-19 Framework for Leaders and Policy Makers

A. WHY do you need a Covid-19 Framework for Leaders and Policy Makers ?

To reduce deaths due to Covid-19 and yet keep the economy rolling.


B. HOW do you reduce deaths due to Covid-19 and yet keep the economy rolling?

For Public:

1. Distancing SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) to be used
2. Digital Contact Tracing to be used to identify and guide those who came in contact with a Covid-19 positive patient
3. Sanitisers to be used as per SOP
4. Masks to be used as per SOP
5. Personal Protective Equipment to be used as per SOP
6. Behaviour training and monitoring with video cameras and re-training those who are making mistakes
7. Immunity building tips
8. Goods to be received at a premise as per SOP
9. Persons to enter a premise as per SOP

For Workplace:

• SOPs
• Enabling work form home
• Enabling learn from home

Link - Toyota Restart Manual for Covid-19

For Public Transport:

• SOPs

For Hospitals and Quarantine Centres:

• SOPs

C. WHAT do you do for making the public safe especially at workplaces, on public transport, hospitals and quarantine centres and at the same time keep the economy rolling?

1. Building manufacture and supply chain for Covid prevention and Covid healing items
2. Building manufacture and supply chain for essential items
3. Building manufacture and supply chain for economically crucial items
4. Building an easy to use digital pass system for essential movement of goods and persons
5. Beat policing and check posts for security and checking unauthorized movement
6. Digital contact tracing on mobile phone to be developed and promoted
7. Preparing SOPs with brainstorming of experts and publishing them
8. R&D and innovation to be encouraged
9. Building Covid-19 quarantine centres and speciality hospital capacity
10. Building Covid-19 Testing capacity
11. Data Collection and Analytics for decision making
12. Building a Covid-19 knowledge sharing digital platform for sharing and discussion of new methods tried and tested by experts in wellness, engineering, economy and environmental sustainability

D. A HUMANE APPROACH

1. Encourage systems for distributing food to the needy
2. Create donation funds for Covid-19 social responsibility projects
3. Create campaigns for removing stigmas attached to Covid-19 positive people
4. Do "Direct Bank Transfers" to people in view of loss of income
5. Provide low interest rate loans and loan moratoriums to people and organisations to tide over the loss of income caused by Covid-19
6. Talk to your employees to come to an amicable way forward during Covid-19

To all the leaders out there, here are 7 Cs for you during the Corona pandemic - 

Be calm, confident, communicative, collaborative, compassionate, curious and cautious.

Want to know Covid-19 Policy Guidelines for Policy Makers, Influencers and Industrialists? Click here - Guidelines

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Leadership Lessons for the New Age - 37 Qualities You Need To Cultivate

Born leaders are rare. They have an inexplicable magnetism that draws people towards them. An example of born leaders are the Dalai Lamas, the Buddhist leaders for spreading compassion and helping people attain enlightenment, who have been chosen in their childhood for the last six centuries based on spiritual signs.

Leadership is now believed to be a skill that can be acquired by working upon yourself.

Let’s start with a question. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to be a leader?”
The answer is likely to be - To take forward a cause close to my heart.

Then ask, “How will I know that I have become a leader?”
The answer is, “You are not a leader, if you are not able to make people follow what you wish them to follow.”

So what is it that will make people follow you to take forward your cause?

At a leadership workshop of 50 bright students this is exactly what was asked and out of the 50 different answers that came from these students 37 were most relevant.

Broadly the answers were of two categories:

1. Self-qualities that will draw people to you.
2. Qualities towards others that will draw people to you.

I am going to elaborate upon these leadership qualities so that you can, recognize the ones you have and build upon the ones that you need to develop, to be a great and authentic leader in the New Age.

SELF-QUALITIES FOR LEADERSHIP:

1. Constant evolution: One who is continuously improving through self-development. Go for wholeness, perfection will follow. Reading New Age stuff and attending workshops will help to stay relevant, somewhat like an “App” that needs a download of regular updates for better performance and adaptation to new trends.
2. Courageous: One who takes the bull by the horns and moves forward. But when tackling evil, you need courage with caution. 
3. Confident: One who knows what they are doing and where they are going. Unstoppable but not overconfident nor arrogant in attaining your vision.
4. Good speaker: Proficient verbal communication in gatherings and interviews is important to get people fired to do what you wish them to do. Imparting your original, non-cliched thoughts without any ambiguity is important and so is being humorous. Clarity should be part of your communications strategy, so before you speak, understand.
5. Problem solver: One who doesn’t desist from delving into problems to solve them. Don’t walk away from hurdles but cross them. Thinking itself is a box. If you want "out of the box" solutions, be silent to open this ''box" to get insights and then focus your awareness on them.
6. Leads by example: One who shows the way by leading from the front whenever possible. Be the path-breaker but not pompous about it.
7. Responsible: Taking responsibility does not mean you are guilty. It means that you have the conviction to lead and do whatever it takes to get the best outcomes.
8. Selfless worker: This shows that you can sacrifice a few things dear to your heart in order to take forward your cause. There is no gain without pain. But this pain will not be a suffering.
9. Positive attitude: This keeps you going even in the face of adversity and lifts your spirits as well as the spirits of those around you. Positivity attracts positivity and this will always help.
10. Committed: One who is consistently involved with a cause will always achieve. The persistence of soft water flowing over hard rocks is able to round them beautifully.
11. Calm in the face of adversity: A high emotional quotient is needed so that you become an anchor for those who are following you. A low emotional quotient will drive people away from you because negative emotions are like a bad odour. Natural equanimity in the face of opposition is desired. 
12. Energetic: People like to see a spring in your step. It is magnetic. Exercise makes one more energetic.
13. Powerful: If you are not well connected you are not powerful. In today’s age your network is your net-worth. It is wise to pilot your leadership in an initial hub before using networking to scale up, because when you showcase your abilities others are drawn to you.
14. Creative: Creativity makes your approach innovative, and newness is always welcomed. A balance of inspection and introspection will enhance your creativity especially in tackling uncertainties and complexities.
15. Enthusiastic: Enthusiasm begets enthusiasm. Be passionate towards your cause, and always hungry to do more and push boundaries.
16. Idealistic: Keeping to noble, ethical and moral principles of a land is important. Any immorality on your part will take people away from you. Do what is right. Don’t do anything against your cause in private, otherwise you yourself will become ambiguous.
17. Resilient: If you fall down seven times, get up eight times. Be a champion who never quits. A secret of champions is that they take regular breaks to recharge.
18. Intelligent: Intelligence is a quality that can be developed with mental exercises such as Gestalt Thinking. This is important for strategic thinking to achieve your goals. Basic knowledge at macro and micro levels on subjects such as human aspects, technology enablement, outreach and economics is important to come to an understanding that is larger than the sum of the parts of these aspects. Answer questions with a presence of mind.
19. Acceptable Appearance: Do in Rome as the Romans do. You need to look appealing to your target audience for them to be drawn.

QUALITIES TOWARDS OTHERS FOR LEADERSHIP:

1. Takes everyone along: Don’t let anyone feel left out from your cause. Involve them in your processes and engage them for something meaningful in your cause. A feeling of ownership is important to keep your followers loyal to your cause. You are not supposed to be a super hero, so being vulnerable and asking for help is okay. Making a few decisions democratically by engaging in regular conversations is a good idea and so is the idea of saying, “We did it”. Discriminations should be made upon declared criteria.
2. Concern for team members: Anticipate needs of team members. Read about the paradigms of different generational groups and become sensitive to them. Help team members to improve their performance. Do not consider one team or team member to be superior to others. Respect for others is paramount for leadership.
3. Makes leaders: An incredible law of the universe is that, what you give you get. So the more leaders you make and empower the more your leadership will be enforced by the universe. This can turn out to be a catalyst for your cause. Find the optimal mix of giving control and being in control.
4. Good listener: Do not listen to reply, but listen to expand your understanding. If you try to prove you are the smartest, you actually prove you are not smart, because there is no definition of ''smartest". Be open to receiving feedback without any biases on your part.
5. Inspirer: You need to inspire people for your cause with your thoughts, words and deeds. When you do this with feeling it has emotional appeal. Appreciation and recognition inspires. Figure out what motivates different generational groups. It’s not always a “carrot”.
6. Honest: Fact check and don’t project fake facts. Make sure that your transparency levels are so high that little can be done behind the back of your followers. This will enforce integrity and fairness which are important factors for building an attractive culture. Honesty builds trust and trust is a major capital a leader must continue to build.
7. Polite: Don’t just be a flower but a flower with a fragrance. People are drawn towards genuine kind words and genuine kind actions.
8. Empathetic: Feel what another feels and then act accordingly. Be kind.
9. Helper: This may be your ultimate fuel for happiness! When you help others you get a "helpers high" and others feel grateful about the help they receive. One good turn leads to another.
10. Belonging-ness: You have to come to an understanding that you and your followers are one family and you must behave like a family member. Family gatherings build fellowship.
11. Sacrifice: Sometimes you have to sacrifice something in order that your followers or your cause gets something beneficial.
12. Punctuality: If you are not punctual often, your followers may lose interest in you.
13. Willingness: Be willing to take up causes incidental to your main cause.
14. Flexibility: A rigid tree can break in the face of a storm but a flexible one survives. Be open to “pivoting” your cause or point of view, if the environment demands it. Be in an organic flow.
15. Supportive: If you find someone disturbed, take them aside at an appropriate moment and place, and give well considered inputs for solving their problems. Be an understanding counsellor.
16. Social: If you are an introvert how will you reach out effectively to people? So become social and gregarious because that’s the true nature of human beings. Learn how to use "social media" effectively.
17. Keeping to your word: This is important because if you don’t keep to your word often, people will lose trust in you.
18. Compassion: Pursue your passion with compassion for sustainability. Ensure that there is minimal “hurt” with what you are doing. Parent your cause. This is the parent of most leadership qualities.

A true affirmation of most of these leadership qualities is when you exhibit them even when concerned people are not looking.

Transformation begins with first transforming yourself.

All of these 37 leadership qualities can be acquired or enhanced with one secret. To know more click here - Presence, Present Moment and Going With The Flow

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