Synopsis of an article from LeadChange by Dave Coffaro, Published 27th July 2020
Resilient cultures survive, new threats are constant and constantly changing. “Thriving and resilient cultures endure through good times and bad”. Dave suggests five practices to raise your strategic resilience as a leader.
Acknowledge current reality
‘Own the tone’ as a leader you need to communicate with your team, recognise the current situation and acknowledge that this isn’t easy, it is uncomfortable but you need to lead through.
Re-connect with the vision and values
Having a clarity of your organisation’s vision, mission, purpose and strategy and values will help connect your team to ‘why’ (see The Motivation Secret That Works for Everyone)
- vision (where the organisation wants to be)
- mission (what the organisation is going to do)
- purpose (why the organisation does what it does)
- strategy (how to achieve the mission)
- values (how your organisation does what it does)
“Every institution has to wrestle with a vexing question: What should change and what should never change? Timeless core values should never change; operating practices and cultural norms should never stop changing“
Jim Collins, Good to Great
Communicate touchpoints for stability, including a focus on the future
Use your vision and values as the basis for articulating stability in your organisation beyond the current uncertainty. Inspire your team with the longer term intent that is articulated in that vision and in turn grow your organisation’s strategic resilience.
Define what success looks like today, in this moment; adjust as the future unfolds
Providing clarity on expectations and telling your team what success looks like will enable them to be their best but you do need to be ready to readjust priorities, targets and goals rapidly as situations change. And when you make those changes make sure that you explain them and why.
Swim with the current
The author uses the analogy of a rip current, which is a fast moving often dangerous body of water. The best way to navigate swimming in a rip is to remain calm, don’t try to swim against it (as it will tire you out) instead swim across and you will find your way out.
Read the full article here:
https://leadchangegroup.com/strategic-resilience/