George Floyd’s death and subsequent events are incredibly tragic and disturbing. Taken together with the impact of COVID-19, they have not only shaken the country but also disrupted business as usual. Here are some thoughts to help you navigate a global pandemic while addressing the serious issues of racism, discrimination and social injustice.Not surprisingly, my recent discussions with Directors, CEOs and business leaders have been focused on their aggressive approach to these critical issues, the long-term impact and acknowledging that leadership has never been more critical. These mirror many of the challenges that I have worked and led through during the tech bubble, 9/11 and the financial crisis, as well as chairing diversity counsels.
These are milestones that matter.
As you continue to absorb the business implications of these world-changing events, here are some self-reflective questions to help you think through and be responsive to your key stakeholders:
- What does your leadership shadow say about you? The longest shadows come from the top. If you want to reshape your culture and teach and develop your team you need to model the behavior you want to see.
- Are you staffed for the task? It’s important to have the right person in the right assignment at the right time.
- How are you thinking about diversity and inclusion? It’s absolutely the right thing to do but avoid thinking about it as an initiative. Initiatives are often times not sustainable. Diversity must be a critical element of your culture, business practices, go to market execution and leadership model that will deliver growth and attract and retain the best talent reflecting the voice, face and trends of your key stakeholders.
- Are your teams having difficult conversations with employees to achieve full alignment? Leaders should use purposeful communication to model empathy, transparency, agility and resilience.
- Are you pausing with a purpose- going slow to go fast? Ensure leadership alignment against strategy, communication, talent and diversity
If you would like to engage in a conversation, connect with me on LinkedIn, or learn more about Crenshaw’s programs and services. It is what we have done for years and what we are discussing with customers and prospects to help align their strategy, talent and culture.
