Employee Wellbeing In The Wake Of The US Capitol Riots

Top 4 ways to empower and inspire your teams

The deadly riot at the US Capitol sent a shockwave through our country and now its after-effects are starting to rear their head inside of our companies. There’s no way to get around it. Everyone is affected by the unrest that is happening in our country right now and yet, we all have to find some way to put our heads down and “produce”. But how can you inspire a company’s workforce to produce and carry on when they are lost in the latest headline on the news.

 

This conversation isn’t going to end with the transfer of power this month, rather it’s just beginning. Unrest in our democracy creates unrest inside the corporate infrastructure. As Americans try to find common ground, we can expect all systems of power and control to receive higher scrutiny including your corporate infrastructure. A key area for scrutiny will include corporate hierarchy. We can expect a movement towards an evolution of the meritocracy that will ultimately level the playing field and create a diverse and inclusive workplace. The diversity and inclusion conversation is not over; it’s only just begun.

Yet, in our outside world, every company is dealing with what Sean McDermott, CEO of Windward Consulting Group and RedMonocle calls our “zone of discomfort.” In a prime example of forward-thinking leadership, McDermott explained to his employees that “the fear of the unknown is present and here to stay through 2021.”
 
The zone of discomfort could become problematic inside of an organization if left unchecked. Why? Employees who are living in a state of anxiety, worry and fear can easily become distracted and have a hard time focusing. Just recently, one of my team members expressed that she is struggling to focus amidst the headlines. Proactively she decided to take a break from the media.
 
Recognize that external conflict will most likely be expressed and projected as internal conflict. All of those interoffice politics are ripe for explosions. This election broke all the rules. The concept of politics being taboo in the office was out the door. The pure shock on both sides of the fence made it near impossible to keep the headlines out of conversations. Unfortunately, while the conversation was happening your teams started dividing. Just because no one said anything, doesn’t mean they didn’t have a problem with the conversation. The unspoken belief system offenses can quickly derail inspiration for any project.
 
So, what do you do? How can you empower and inspire your teams during one of the most revolutionary times in our country’s history?
 
Step 1: Ask people how they are feeling and if what’s happening in the world is affecting their work. Then, ask how you can help. Direct employees to your EAP services and other benefits that are available to them as they try to bring balance back to their lives.
 
Step 2: Set clearer than clear vision and priorities. A clear vision can be described in one sentence. Clear priorities drive towards specific outcomes the team rallies around. Rather than creating a list of 10, widdle it down to one or two per employee, if at all possible. As the outside world becomes more complex, keeping things simple at the office will go a long way in keeping productivity and mental wellness high.
 
Step 3: Redirect and refocus emotions. This isn’t about suppressing emotions in the workplace. Instead, give your team something to rally around. It may be a new initiative or even supporting a new way to give back, but what’s most important is that it’s something that makes us feel good. Giving back feels good and warms the heart and so does getting excited about a big new project we can sink our teeth into to take our focus off of the headlines.
 
Step 4: Step into your new role as a life coach. Leadership is evolving to look a lot more like what you’d expect from a life coach than a corporate executive. And it’s a good thing. The days of pretending like our outside world doesn’t affect us are gone. Instead, leaders will understand that focus is an issue and will address it head-on. They’ll schedule one-on-ones with their team for emotional check-ins. They will brush up on their conflict resolution and non-violent communication skills.
 
We all have to find some way to move forward in a positive and inspiring way. As leadership teams move away from the old command and control to inspire and empower hierarchies, we can expect a lot of things that used to be “the way business was done” to become old hat as fresh innovative ideas to emerge. Leaders everywhere are experiencing what Joseph Cambell called “our call to adventure”. For those of you who choose to accept the call, know the ride may be a bit bumpy as we go through transition over the next two to three years. But in the end, we will have all flexed our leadership muscles and will create an entirely new way to get work done with empathy and compassion for our teams.