Raise your hand if you’re pretty tired of hearing words like ‘unprecedented,’ ‘uncertainty,’ and my personal fave, ‘pivot.’ You too?

 

As we are entering year three of unprecedented uncertainty, you’re probably hearing a lot about the importance of resilience right now. And honestly, you’re probably tired of hearing about resilience, but bear with me for a moment, will ya?

 

Merriam Webster defines resilience as

: the ability of something to return to its original shape after it has been pulled, stretched, pressed, bent, etc.

 

Well, we’ve certainly been pulled, stretched, pressed, and bent, but it’s the part about “returning to its original shape” that I want to take issue with. 

 

Here in southeast Louisiana, recovery from Hurricane Ida continues…Ever. So. Slowly. As we work to rebuild our “camp,” or second home at Grand Isle, LA, there are lots of things we want to re-create that we had in our home before. But, we’re also taking this opportunity to make some changes. 

 

Having lived in this home for five years, there were some tweaks that we knew would make our family more comfortable. (Can you say bigger bathrooms and more storage?)  We’re also using reinforcement techniques and hurricane-resistant materials wherever possible so that we might prevent damage like this in the future. 

 

We didn’t want to just go back to the original “shape,” we wanted to rebuild our home stronger than before. 

 

In working with my coaching clients, rather than telling them what to do, I invite them to look at their situations a bit differently. Here, I have five invitations for you, as well.

 

I invite you to use this metaphor of rebuilding as you look at your leadership team. Do you really want to just go back to the way things were before? And if your answer is ‘Yes,’ then feel free to scroll on to your next email. I wish you all the best.

But, why not imagine how you could rebuild better, stronger than ever before? Use the past as a baseline. Take into account your experiences. And there were lots o’lessons learned, amiright? 

Don’t just bounce back, but bounce forward. In other words, how might you lead your team, not back to “normal,” but into the future? 

 

I invite you to think about team development as you might marketing. In tough economic times, our tendency in business might be to tighten our belts, to cut back on expenses, like marketing. But smart, savvy business owners know that this is not the time to cut back on marketing, but rather to double down on targeted marketing tactics. 

In a similar way, instead of cutting back on investing in their teams, wise CEOs are doubling down in both their time and financial investments in team building. How could you make team building a top priority in 2022?

 

I invite you to think about how “The Great Resignation” is impacting your leadership team. You may have lost a member of your leadership team. You’re seeing your oh-so-carefully-cultivated cohesive team culture erode. But that doesn’t mean you have to “resign” yourself to this trend, assuming there’s nothing you can do about it. 

After Hurricane Ida, my family put a tarp on our roof to prevent further water damage. We didn’t just resign ourselves and let it be completely destroyed by the ongoing rain and wind. 

Same with your leadership team. Minimize the damage and prevent further destruction. What steps will you take to strengthen your leadership team before it disintegrates further? 

 

I invite you to think about the cost of replacing one of those senior team members when they decide to pull up stakes and leave you (mayhaps because of your craptacular team culture?). What are the immediate costs of searching for a replacement? Then think about the hidden costs of lowered morale among remaining team members. The cost of acclimating the new member into the team. Now let’s talk about having clear and transparent communication. What about building trust within the team again? 

Whoa! Now you start to realize that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How will you love ’em, so you don’t lose ’em?

 

I invite you to consider what is NOT investing in your team costing you? As a leadership team, what got you here won’t get you there. Consciously and consistently focus on up-leveling to stay relevant. 

You can’t afford to stay at the same level. Or God forbid, become complacent – just going through the motions or only doing the bare minimum to get by. Not a great strategy. How will you ensure that your team takes it to the next level?

 

It can feel overwhelming not knowing what the future holds. Get used to it. You have to decide that you’ll continue to invest in your leadership team or risk being a casualty of the Great Resignation, the Pandemic, or the next big gust of wind that comes along and takes you down. 

 

If you’d like a guide on the side to help your team take it to the next level, let’s talk. My Tough, Tight, and Together Team Program may be just what ya’ll need. Schedule your discovery call with me today!

 

 

You might also like:

Women in Leadership: You Are Contagious

Leadership Tips to Develop Non-Negotiable “New Normal” Habits

Why Your Employees Should Stop Thinking Like Employees

Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication.  In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.

Photo by Milivoj Kuhar on Unsplash