John Eades* says that in the wake of the pandemic the old ways will no longer serve and the most successful leaders are already beginning to reinvent for the future.
As we met over Zoom, my coaching client told me that his business was down 75 per cent since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Anyone in this position would feel understandably insecure about the future of his or her business; what surprised me about this man was his steadfast demeanour.
“How is it that you are calm and speaking about a brighter future? What gives you that confidence?” I asked.
“It gives me an opportunity to not simply rebuild what we had, but to reinvent it. How exciting is that?” he responded.
This is just one example of how the best leaders don’t dwell on the past, but instead look towards creating a brighter future.
The future is made for leaders who don’t just rebuild, but reinvent.
On September 11th, 2001, two planes were hijacked by terrorists and crashed into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Centre.
Both 110-story towers collapsed, resulting in thousands of deaths and billions in damage.
Instead of rebuilding the towers as they were, the developers and city planners charted a different path.
One World Trade Centre was built; the tallest building in the United States that paid tribute to the events that took place in 2001.
In the face of this pandemic, recreating an exact model of your business or team may be a good short-term fix.
However, when considering long-term success, leaders need to focus on reinvention.
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, business writer, Sam Walker said people responsible for rebuilding would try to reduce anxiety by restoring familiar routines, procedures, and traditions.
“The problem is, business as we knew it cannot be recovered. It will need to be reinvented,” Mr Walker said.
The word reinvention is best defined as “to change (something) so much that it appears to be entirely new”.
While this is scary for most people, it is essential in the future following the pandemic.
It takes confidence, courage, skill, and an open mind, and it doesn’t happen without leaders striving for it.
When leaders begin throwing words out like reinvention, it will spur doubt.
It’s a natural response to hearing that radical change and uncertainty is on the horizon.
Since doubt is rooted in both our intellect and our hearts, leaders must speak to both in order to help their team members overcome it.
We have all heard the saying “actions speak louder than words.”
While it’s true, both actions and words are key parts of the formula for reaching the hearts and minds of team members in order to help overcome doubt.
There is a need to use the three C’s of successful communication.
Be clear, concise, and conclusive then back it up with your actions on a daily basis.
When you are doing this, don’t sugar-coat the current situation or the size of the challenge in front of the team.
Define reality, provide hope, and challenge it to reinvent the future.
As I began working on a new book over quarantine, I decided to write down a long list of all of my favourite life lessons.
The first lesson I wrote down rolls off my tongue like I say it every day, “patience is a virtue.”
When it comes to reinvention, patience is most definitely a virtue.
Each person’s willingness to adapt, their ability to learn, and to reinvent the future takes time.
The best leaders not only understand this, they start small and focus on looking at days and weeks instead of months and years.
Start by asking a simple question (that may have a complicated answer):
What is going to hold you back from moving forward?
Here are a few further questions to help you get started: Do I have the right people to reinvent? Are our products and services correct now and in the future?
Which clients will help us reinvent or hold us back?
Since each of the answers could be complicated and without a clear path forward, don’t fret. Start small and be patient.
The best part of crisis and struggle is that it requires great leadership to come through to the other side intact and even better.
Remember the old African proverb: “If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.”
Your leadership is needed more than ever.
*John Eades is the Chief Executive of LearnLoft a leadership development company. He is also the host of the Follow My Lead podcast. He can be contacted at johneades.com.
This article first appeared on John’s LearnLoft blog.
