Leading In Uncertain Times Covid-19. #2

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Here is my second article on the above. as before I hope this will be another tool that will assist you to get on with the work of leading your people in these even more than usual, of uncertain times.

The concept is not new, the post is intended to bring the concept back to the front-of-mind, and deliver it in the context of the uncertainty we are all experiencing now.

Concept #2 Circle of Influence versus Circle of Concern

Circle of concern.png

To remind you of the model. We all have many things in the Circle of Concern. In the current context, COVID-19 and its possible impacts are of a concern to many. A basic concern is ‘what if I get sick? If I do how sick will I get? Will I die? If I get sick and I can’t work, how will I pay my bills etc. What if my children, elderly parents, or grandparents get sick. What if I can’t get enough <fill this space with things in addition to toilet paper>. What if they close the schools? how will I care for my child and still maintain an income? What if they don’t close the schools and my child gets infected? And the list goes on. There is nothing incorrect about these thoughts. They are typical human reactions.

Unfortunately focussing on the concerns alone is not particularly helpful. It creates unhelpful levels of anxiety, distress, sense of being overwhelmed, pessimism and <insert the negative emotions you have observed in others or possibly even yourself>.

The Circle of Influence, as the name implies, are the things we can do something about, or even control.

In the context of the COVID-19, there are helpful and unhelpful things we can influence:

What are the unhelpful things we can influence that you have seen?

Here is my list:

  • The run on toilet paper and other items in the stores

  • Following UNinformed advice about what is safe/not safe to do for your own family and others.

  • Spending extensive time on media soaking up as much of the negative information as time permits.

  • Utilising all of every social contact to talk about how bad COVID-19 is.

The blanks are for you to add to.

What are the helpful things we can influence that you have seen.

My list is:

  • Be considerate of others in your own purchasing patterns, while trying to understand others may see the need to buy disproportionately more.

  • Be informed from credible information sources on what are safe and hygienic practices in our current context.

  • Take time to be informed about the current state of events and things you need to know, then ensure you spend time on the regular aspects of your life.

  • Incorporate the level of hygiene practices advised by sources you find credible and fit your life circumstance, while continuing with the other aspects of your life. Especially the positive ones like family, friends, work and hobbies.

  • Show empathy for yourself and others about COVID-19 when you do meet up with people, and ensure you discuss other things, especially positive things.

  • Be safe and keep others safe.

  • Be courteous.

  • Remember, this will pass.

  • Keep a sense of perspective. As a friend of mine posted recently, what we are enduring here is mild compared to what our ancestors endured in times of war and other crisis.

  • If you are quarantined, focus on how you can use that time to do things you ‘never seem to have time for’. Read that book, do that project, paint that room, write that paper, do that (on-line) course, rest.

  • If income for you is reduced, take time to review your budget and contact your credit provider(s) to review repayment arrangements.

  • Be grateful we live in a time and country where quality medicines are available to us and the ones we love.

What else can you add?

If people focus on the positive aspects of influence, they will feel a greater sense of control, be happier, less distressed, more empowered etc. This will enable people to get on with the tasks that need to be done, be that to care for themselves and others or their work.

So how can you apply this as a leaders.

  1. Recognise the circle of concern reactions are human.

  2. Give people space to express these concerns, then guide the conversations to matters people can influence.

  3. When concerns are expressed, pose questions like:

    • What can you do about that?

    • Who can you get to help you with that?

    • What suggestions do you have to address that concern and get these other things done?

    • If we can’t fix that completely, what make it not quite so difficult?

    • On a scale of 1 -10, how big an issue is this?

    • Along with allowing people to express concerns, keep people focussed on the work they are employed for. Your customers need their work to be done.

  4. Take time to understand the needs of your people? Who has the relatives and other loved-ones that are more at risk for COVID-19, and what do they need, as far as practicable, to address those needs.

    1. Flexible work arrangements will come up a lot.

    2. The need to socially isolate.

    3. Time to visit, check-in on loved-ones.

    4. Help with being distracted from the negative conversation.

    5. The need to be more hygienically cautious.

    6. The need to accompany loved-ones to medical appointments.

Lastly - Your Needs

Take time to care for yourself. You can’t help anyone else if you are flat out being a great leader for your team and have things in your home life that need to be addressed. Respect your needs as well as those of your people. Be prepared to seek help from others. This includes your leader, your team members and your social networks.

Keep yourself and the ones you love safe.