If I Were a Leader Right Now, Here is What I Would Do….

We’ve had quite a few people respond to our offer to talk strategy related to COVID-19 (at no cost) and have found ourselves connecting with a lot of leaders of organizations and businesses around the state over the past couple of weeks. Clearly there is no one size fits all approach, but here are a few things we find ourselves saying a lot. 

10 TIPS FOR LEADERS 

1. Review your strategic plan, it’s your north star, especially in times of crisis. If you don’t have one, the time might be right to create one.

2. Make action plans for 2-3 days, then plan for the next 2-3 weeks, and then 2-3 months.

3. Meet with your financial advisors and work with real numbers and scenarios.

4. If you are eligible, apply for CARES Funding. It is first come, first served, so do not delay.

5. Schedule a time to check in with your staff individually this week. Even if it’s 15 minutes. Use your time to see how they are doing as a human, not as a staff person.

6. Be transparent about the big stuff—if you are worrying about something, share what you can with your staff. You don’t have to have all the answers or be seeking input, but clarity about what you working through will be appreciated and likely keep anxiety levels low(er).

7. Don’t stop fundraising – use this time to reach out to donors, keep building those relationships. All the data shows that fundraising is more important than ever.

8. People are consuming media in ways that are totally different than before—make sure you are out there—posting videos, updates, and sharing your mission with the world. Above all, build your contact lists! Tone matters, so be extra thoughtful in your approach.

9. Check in with your board and volunteers – some of them may have more time than usual, and many may be looking for a way to feel useful. Come up with a list of things you could use help with and let them pick what they want to do.

10. Take deep breaths, drink water, and find someone you can talk to about the weight you are carrying. Nonprofit and business leaders report one of the most challenging parts of the job is not having a person they can talk to who is on their level but not in direct competition with them—we get it, reach out to us and we will listen and share our insights.

While many people are feeling particularly lonely right now, please know you aren’t alone. No one has done this before, there is no handbook.  We are all learning with one another. Be kind to yourself and your people.