It had been quite a long while since the world experienced such a large-scale crisis so destructive to every aspect of our lives. During the early phase of COVID-19, I couldn’t deny that it caught me off guard and I was, for a while, clueless about what I should do for my business and my staff.  As everyone else, the pandemic has been a new, frightening experience for me as a leader.

Being a leader amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has put me under a terrifying pop quiz. There were moments where I’ve lost my grip and forgotten the necessary things that I must do. Still, I’ve forced myself to put on a brave face despite the lingering fear and doubts, and see the pandemic as a test that I should excel at no matter what.

Apart from pushing my skills and knowledge to break past its limits, this whole COVID-19 turmoil has taught me five important leadership lessons that I will certainly remember and carry for the rest of my life.

1) Be more welcoming to change

Some businesses become so successful and unfortunately start to take things for granted thinking that everything will be the same after. I am guilty of this as that one taste of victory is extremely addicting – it feels like you are on cloud nine and you will never want to go down again. With that triumph in mind, I ended up doing the same thing over and over again because it is what gave me the success I wanted. Little did I know that things would shift, majorly, and that the techniques I used before will not be as effective. 

The pandemic reminded me that change is, and will always be, constant. We cannot change that. All we can do is learn to adapt and continue developing ourselves. We have to get out of our comfort zones and try something new every once in a while. Doing this will prevent us from being overwhelmed by changes brought by events that we cannot control.

2) Like chess pieces, everyone is important

In a company setup, it’s undeniable that some people think that those who have inferior ranks to them are not that significant. This ill mentality is erased by the shifts that happened because of the pandemic. Companies, especially the large ones, have realised that every single one of their employees is valuable – they cannot lose those people they once regarded replaceable. 

I’ve treated everyone in my company fairly because that is basic human kindness to me. However, the situation during the pandemic has made me realise how important it is to show my staff that they are indeed essential to the success and future of the company. I’ve learned that leaders should prioritise appreciating, respecting, and caring for their members, along with reaching their goals. 

3) Everyone’s experiences are different

In more ways than one, every single one of us has suffered. I, too, have my fair share of struggles during this tough time, but I’m well aware that a lot of people have suffered more than I have. The pandemic has magnified the socioeconomic disparities in the world and the majority of the world feel like they’re grasping at straws.  

Everyone has struggled to stay afloat. Many businesses have fallen down to the ground and millions of people have lost their jobs. I’ve realised that even if my company and I could fight and stay alive, that didn’t mean that others could.  

Everyone’s experiences are truly unique and that is why we have to be kind, always, because we don’t know what every single person is going through.

4) Be considerate – always

The pandemic has given more reasons for everyone to be stressed. More often than not, everyone is about to hit their limit. On top of their workload, my staff have been bothered by their children’s remote studies, or loved ones who had been affected by the virus.

As leaders, we cannot just let our employees suffer. They are essential to us so we must take care of them and help them in every way we know we can. If they feel better, they will be more productive. We must give them the utmost consideration because we don’t always know what they are going through behind their laptop screens. 

5) Don’t stop looking for opportunities

Even in devastating situations, don’t stop learning and adapting. Look for opportunities that can lead you to the path of success again. Developments and trends never stop, and you have to keep up with them. Don’t dwell too much in the past and keep looking at how you can turn the present and the future to your advantage. 

COVID-19 has exhausted us more than we expected and changed our lives forever. The business world has now gone through tremendous shifts that we have to adapt to. As leaders, we cannot just give up because our people depend on us. We should be strong-willed, capable, and compassionate to cultivate and maintain good teamwork despite the challenges that our companies will face. 

To your success,

Mario

[Visit www.mariosingh.com now to enjoy a FREE e-book of my latest “37 Essential Principles for Massive Success” when you subscribe!]