Confirm Goals and Priorities

Best Practices

More than at any other time, during periods of uncertainty people want strong leaders who give direction on what to do and what not to do. Talking only about the long-term vision and goals for the team may not be effective when people are distracted with other priorities.

In the midst of all this chaos, pause and reflect on your teams’ goals and objectives and identify what new work must begin in support of COVID-19. Ask yourself, and the team, if the work they are doing is essential and/or are there new and more pressing priorities. This first step is to provide clear guidance on business-critical priorities that everyone can rally around and contribute to.

When normal work patterns, communication methods, or team dynamics are disrupted, it is important to clarify who is responsible for what and where employees can turn to for help accomplishing tasks.

TIP

Give steady guidance. Focus on the business-critical priorities around which your team can align. Patiently hammer your message—its stability may be as important as its content.