The pandemic has had negative impacts on small businesses, it has also left an unexpected positive impact on leadership as we know it. To explore this silver lining, I had the opportunity to connect with several CEOs who shared their insight on how the pandemic evolved their leadership and, in turn, the future direction of their business
Enhanced transparency and team engagement
The pandemic has forced many C-level executives to look inward, become more transparent, and more engaged with team members on all levels
- While driving a business through immense change is always done with care and thoughtfulness, adding perspectives from the whole of the organization gives a leader the ability to understand the full impact and implications of decisions
The rediscovery of doing more with less
The pandemic forced leaders to innovate and pivot in order to survive
- During the pandemic, time was a luxury, and projects that would normally take months, if not years, of testing and trials had to be streamlined and accelerated
- Chem-Dry was able to roll out a brand new service in record time through efficient leadership
Strengthened core values and cultural beliefs
The pandemic reaffirmed the importance of people and culture in every business decision
- As core values continue to take precedence in the post-pandemic era, leaders are better equipped to make strategic decisions to help advance the direction of their brands
Brought humanity and authenticity to the workforce
Pandemic forced leaders to embrace vulnerability
- By sharing big company issues, discussing what you’re struggling with, asking for help, and being transparent, your team will follow suit
- The pandemic created a crash course on how vulnerability and empathy should be guiding principles to your leadership style
