There are no manuals, no best practice and no amount of mentoring on how to respond to this current situation in our country.  However, as a leader, it is my responsibility to ensure that I lead my organization through this trying time.  A few weeks ago I had a quick town hall to help address the situation.  As I prepared my notes, I wanted to make sure I focused on empathy, hope and ways to maintain focus to help everyone - including myself - get through this.  Below are the main themes I talked about in my organization. 

• Family & Safety First:  I want to make it clear to my organization that my top priority for them is to ensure the safety of everyone.  This was important for me to show empathy and remembering what is truly important during this time. 

• Over-communicate: Having an organization that is now 100% remote can cause people to feel disconnected from the company.  It is important for everyone in the organization to have regular touchpoints with each other.  I personally set aside two time blocks each day to check in with people in my organization.  In addition, my organization meets up once a week to a standing meeting called “5 o’clock somewhere” where everyone is welcome to connect.  (We enough them to bring their kids, pets, and a drink if they like!) . 

• State of the business: During times of uncertainty, it is natural for everyone to be in a state of nervousness about their job.  My goal is to remind them of the current financial position of the company and how the company plans to weather the storm.

• State of Economy: Finally, I ended the call with an outlook into how society, business, and the individual might look at the end of this scary moment.  COVID-19 is changing the fabric of society and the economy.  I focused on the positive of what this means for us as a company and how we will be in a better position because of it. 

Since my all-hands call, I have ensured that I kept my word and have been checking in daily to connect with everyone.

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.