Leadership Series | Partha Majumder

 

Ten months and still counting and carefully navigating our way through this pandemic. In these ten months, we have witnessed so many changes and battled with almost everything. Now what we are potentially looking at is a changed world post-pandemic. To deal with this new life, we leaders must help our people go through these trying times by coaching our employees and re-evaluate their lives and rethink what they add to the world. So, here’s how to do it:

Think how to serve the people you lead: One of my tried and tested processes is to take time and reach out to my people either through audio or video calls and ask them how they are doing and how can I help them. I believe that as a leader my key role is to guide my people and help them to grow, explore and provide tangible and emotional support throughout. Research shows that happy and psychologically strong employees bring out the best in the teams.

Help your team discover their purpose: During these uncertain times few basic questions that come in every body’s mind are – ‘What is my job? How can I add value to my organization? Do I want to change my role within the same organization? What do I want out of my career?‘ The answers to the above questions might not be the same as they were a few months ago, but as a leader, I would always advise that you have open discussions with your team. Discuss with them whether any of the basic elements of their work have changed or will change. Get them to prioritize whom they are trying to serve and what they need from you to be effective. This will help them to get clarity.

Encourage your team to recraft their jobs: As a leader, I am open and transparent. I make it a point to talk to my people about their strengths and how they can use them in their new way of working. I keep asking my people these questions – ‘What abilities and talents do you wish to use more in the coming weeks and months? What part of your job motivates you the most? What would you like to learn?’ These regular interactions are helpful in two ways. First is that the answers to these random questions often help me to bring the best out of my employees. Secondly, having an open conversation with a leader keeps the team motivated and reduces the burnout rate.

Focus on what you can control: Research shows that even small routines can reduce stress and improve performance towards clearly defined goals. As a leader, I give my team more flexibility in their work schedule and encourage them to plan in advance and make an agreement that the performance expectations remain the same.

When employees bring their best selves to work, they feel more autonomous, and their work is more meaningful. Sometimes, the team gets bogged down under pressure due to challenging circumstances. They need to be assured that they are making the right decisions and may be some minor tweaks in their actions would put them back on the right track. Sometimes an honest and outright feedback is also required when they have deviated to a completely wrong track. It is extremely important for me to remain accessible to guide my team through any tough situations or proactively reach out to them when I get a sense that they are wilting under pressure or taking a step back. I encourage the team to discuss anything which can uplift them, feel motivated, change their thought process and help them achieve their immediate and greater goals.