COVID-19 Leaders Need Coaching Now More Than Ever

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There's another symptom of the novel coronavirus brewing in businesses across America. Seemingly overnight, the COVID-19 crisis forced the cancellation of all face-to-face meetings, team off-sites, and training courses.

There's another symptom of the novel coronavirus brewing in businesses across America. Seemingly overnight, the COVID-19 crisis forced the cancellation of all face-to-face meetings, team off-sites, and training courses.

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Weeks and months of planning, preparation, and strategy are in limbo. Goals are being pushed aside as leaders struggle to meet new priorities and the constraints of a 100 percent virtual world.

Weeks and months of planning, preparation, and strategy are in limbo. Goals are being pushed aside as leaders struggle to meet new priorities and the constraints of a 100 percent virtual world.

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Leaders and professionals who support them (like coaches and talent developers) are asking, “Now what? Do we simply cancel, or postpone, or what?” How can people in organizations, especially teams, still do the work considered essential to meeting company goals that were set before COVID-19 and that are still likely important to the long-term strategy of the organization?

Leaders and professionals who support them (like coaches and talent developers) are asking, “Now what? Do we simply cancel, or postpone, or what?” How can people in organizations, especially teams, still do the work considered essential to meeting company goals that were set before COVID-19 and that are still likely important to the long-term strategy of the organization?

Four Best Practices to Help Your Clients and Their Teams Right Now

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Navigating the competing priorities leaders suddenly face in a COVID-19 world is a delicate balancing act. This is not a time for coaches or TD specialists to lean back. It’s a time to lean in and reach out. Leaders and their teams need us. They are looking for perspective.

Navigating the competing priorities leaders suddenly face in a COVID-19 world is a delicate balancing act. This is not a time for coaches or TD specialists to lean back. It’s a time to lean in and reach out. Leaders and their teams need us. They are looking for perspective.

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1. Just Do It, Now

1. Just Do It, Now

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Reach out to your team leaders now; don’t wait.

Reach out to your team leaders now; don’t wait.

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Show empathy. Ask them about and acknowledge their personal COVID-19 challenges. Connect at a deeper level with each person through your presence and compassion.

Show empathy. Ask them about and acknowledge their personal COVID-19 challenges. Connect at a deeper level with each person through your presence and compassion.

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Acknowledge the leader’s strengths. Ask them how they can be their best leader selves.

Acknowledge the leader’s strengths. Ask them how they can be their best leader selves.

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Remember, during a crisis leaders’ strengths and weaknesses are amplified. How they manage today will be remembered long after this crisis passes.

Remember, during a crisis leaders’ strengths and weaknesses are amplified. How they manage today will be remembered long after this crisis passes.

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2. Pivot

2. Pivot

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When you sense the time is right, shift the conversation to strategic business topics; for instance, you could ask, “How is your team doing?” or “What do they need right now?” Add your perspective.

When you sense the time is right, shift the conversation to strategic business topics; for instance, you could ask, “How is your team doing?” or “What do they need right now?” Add your perspective.

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What is the crisis strategy for now? How can strategic decisions be made that empower people to act collaboratively and independently while working remotely?

What is the crisis strategy for now? How can strategic decisions be made that empower people to act collaboratively and independently while working remotely?

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3. Prioritize

3. Prioritize

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Do a reality check. For example, “We have a three-day team face-to-face session scheduled two weeks from today. What do we do now that we are suddenly thrust into accomplishing teamwork in a 100 percent virtual environment?” Invite a conversation about what’s realistic and help decide next steps.

Do a reality check. For example, “We have a three-day team face-to-face session scheduled two weeks from today. What do we do now that we are suddenly thrust into accomplishing teamwork in a 100 percent virtual environment?” Invite a conversation about what’s realistic and help decide next steps.

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  How important is it to accomplish the original purpose of the face-to-face session?

  How important is it to accomplish the original purpose of the face-to-face session?

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  Has the purpose changed? Are priorities different now? If so, how?

  Has the purpose changed? Are priorities different now? If so, how?

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  What are your current priorities? Given what we now know, how do we need to pivot?

  What are your current priorities? Given what we now know, how do we need to pivot?

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Offer to brainstorm options and next steps. Ask what would be most helpful to them and their team right now. Help them summarize their next steps. Offer your ideas about specific ways you can support them. Ask, “what do you want or need from me now?”

Offer to brainstorm options and next steps. Ask what would be most helpful to them and their team right now. Help them summarize their next steps. Offer your ideas about specific ways you can support them. Ask, “what do you want or need from me now?”

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4. Create Virtual Connections

4. Create Virtual Connections

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Work with the leader to quickly set up a videoconference with core team members.

Work with the leader to quickly set up a videoconference with core team members.

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Use this time to help people feel connected and valued. Help the leader identify each team member’s personal and professional needs and determine how to support them.

Use this time to help people feel connected and valued. Help the leader identify each team member’s personal and professional needs and determine how to support them.

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Draw upon your deep knowledge/skills about how to design and facilitate team meetings in a way that builds psychological safety and a sense of community.

Draw upon your deep knowledge/skills about how to design and facilitate team meetings in a way that builds psychological safety and a sense of community.

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Help the team leader and members:

Help the team leader and members:

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  Increase their sense of belonging. Acknowledge personal challenges during this time of crisis and recognize their contributions. Offer support.

  Increase their sense of belonging. Acknowledge personal challenges during this time of crisis and recognize their contributions. Offer support.

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  Reduce uncertainty and ambiguity. Help clarify the team’s immediate goals, roles, timing, next steps, and more.

  Reduce uncertainty and ambiguity. Help clarify the team’s immediate goals, roles, timing, next steps, and more.

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  Solicit their ideas and input. Offer insights on how to stay connected with the team to get work done together.

  Solicit their ideas and input. Offer insights on how to stay connected with the team to get work done together.

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  Develop a calendar for frequent check-ins. Use videoconferencing to connect and monitor how people are doing personally and professionally.

  Develop a calendar for frequent check-ins. Use videoconferencing to connect and monitor how people are doing personally and professionally.

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  Help the leader assess formal and informal structures that convey a sense of fairness. This includes a well-balanced distribution of work during this time of crisis.

  Help the leader assess formal and informal structures that convey a sense of fairness. This includes a well-balanced distribution of work during this time of crisis.

Final Thoughts

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Leaders and professionals supporting them can take meaningful action right now. Whether it's to make just-in-time decisions or innovate new ways of getting work done together, encourage them to:

Leaders and professionals supporting them can take meaningful action right now. Whether it's to make just-in-time decisions or innovate new ways of getting work done together, encourage them to:

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Embrace Technology: Find new ways to connect and stay connected and feel grounded through virtual conversations.

Embrace Technology: Find new ways to connect and stay connected and feel grounded through virtual conversations.

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Capitalize on the Power of Collaboration: Stimulate new thinking that leads to new ideas and moves those ideas forward.

Capitalize on the Power of Collaboration: Stimulate new thinking that leads to new ideas and moves those ideas forward.

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Consciously Meet People Where They Are : Access and share your own humanity—embody your capacity to be agile, innovative, compassionate, and generous.

Consciously Meet People Where They Are: Access and share your own humanity—embody your capacity to be agile, innovative, compassionate, and generous.

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What we do now and the new capacity we develop during this time will serve our teams and organizations in new ways into the future we can’t imagine today.

What we do now and the new capacity we develop during this time will serve our teams and organizations in new ways into the future we can’t imagine today.

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If you have questions or need a thought partner to help you navigate your “now what?” conversations, I’m here to support you. Share your thoughts in the comments.

If you have questions or need a thought partner to help you navigate your “now what?” conversations, I’m here to support you. Share your thoughts in the comments.

Additional Resource

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  “ Remote Teams: How to Create a Strong Culture Even When You're Far Apart”— Ama La Vida

  “Remote Teams: How to Create a Strong Culture Even When You're Far Apart”—Ama La Vida

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  “ How to Lead a Team Who Is Suddenly Working From Home” by Leah Bonvissuto –LinkedIn

  “How to Lead a Team Who Is Suddenly Working From Home” by Leah Bonvissuto –LinkedIn

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  “ Lead Your Business Through the Coronavirus Crisis” —Harvard Business Review

  “Lead Your Business Through the Coronavirus Crisis”—Harvard Business Review