We all can’t wait to put the pandemic behind us. But while we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, it is clear that the uncertainty that has defined the past year is bound to continue for a while longer.

One of the main questions leaders and teams everywhere are starting to address is:

What will the post-pandemic world look like and what will it mean for our company?

You may be planning a full return to the office and dealing with pushback from those who think it’s too soon. Or you may be wondering if an in-office/remote working hybrid should become a more permanent option.

There might be discussions about making vaccination a requirement and how employees would take the news.

You might be unsure of what changes are here to stay, what will go back to how it was before, and how to ready the business for the post-pandemic world.

Whatever the case, the ground keeps shifting and stress levels remain insanely high – perhaps even more so as we forge a new way of working.

In all of this, it’s easy to cave in to the pressure of continuing to address problems and crises that pop up, or busy yourself trying to deliver on the next strategy. Because what else can you do but keep plowing through, right?

Wrong. When leading in uncertain times, often the best thing you can do is pause to take stock.
To think about the wisdom gained, what’s working, and what’s really at the root of the challenges you are facing.

It requires pulling away from the tunnel vision of surviving the day-to-day or chasing quarterly and monthly goals.

Taking some distance to observe the situation from a sky-high vantage point can give you that crucial perspective you might not have considered. And help you identify the most vital areas to focus on to up the bar of your performance – regardless of the circumstances.

As coaches, we’ve been working with companies in pandemic mode for months and have seen this simple truth play out consistently:

In the midst of uncertainty, those leaders who don’t take the time to pause and reflect continue to hit dead ends. Those who do pause, manage to rise above the chaos and are better equipped to face whatever comes their way.

A few simple questions can take you a long way if you are willing to answer them with calm and objectivity. Here we offer our favorite few. Discussing this as a team can increase engagement, alignment, and motivation at a time when these pillars of teamwork and high performance might be lacking.

SEEING THE CRISIS WITH NEW EYES:

• What did we do well over the course of the pandemic?
• Where didn’t we succeed?
• What did we learn that we want and should take with us into the post-pandemic world?

MAPPING THE VISION FOR THE POST-PANDEMIC WORLD:

• As we go forward, how will we embrace the lessons in our: actions, relationships, and strategies?
• How will we up the bar to thrive after the exhaustion of months of working during the pandemic?
• What is required from leaders now?
• What are other questions/practices we want to consider to be more intentional and successful together?

Share this with your team and ask them to prepare for either a team meeting or one-on-one conversations. Better still, do both.

And if you work alone, talk it through with someone you trust – your significant other, your coach, and a trusted advisor/friend.

Need someone to guide you through these conversations and help you see what you might be missing that can make the difference between success and failure?

Contact us to schedule a call.