Category: General

Then the Trump years happened. And today, more than 50 long and exhausting months after our post, the words of Amanda Gorman, the United States’ first-ever youth poet laureate, illuminated a united path forward during President Biden’s inauguration ceremony. The power of the message and the moment was sublime. Gorman rhythmically recalled the chapter we’ve lived through, and more importantly, she called us to forge a union with purpose for the future – “to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.”

In her challenge to “lift our gazes, not to what stands between us, but what stands before us,” every leader, in every sector, should hear a calling. Not to be partisan, not to take sides, and not to hunker down and avoid conversation. But to truly see the people we lead. To open the door to conversation, even when it’s uncomfortable. To foster connection and listen to understand. To seek facts and truth.

For some leaders, these awkward and sometimes heated conversations come naturally, and they’ve been doing it since the start of the pandemic or longer. For others, talking about anything related to politics or diversity is anathema to the workplace, and they have no idea where to start. Some grew up professionally in the days when these topics were simply not deemed appropriate in any work-related setting, so they’ve learned to avoid them at all cost.

But the great lesson of a year dominated by the pandemic and racial reckoning is that business leaders do have a place in politics and diversity – not to advocate for one side or the other but to acknowledge and show compassion for the hardships and heartache of the people they lead. Hardships and heartaches that are often connected to politics and diversity.

In the spirit of unity, just as we did in 2016 but with a much deeper understanding of just how damaging division can be, we offer the following steps for leaders as they zoom into their next team interaction:

• Stay connected to your team. Make space for dialogue. Don’t shy away from topics like the riot at the U.S. Capitol or inauguration events. Let people know it’s safe to talk openly about what’s happening in the world and how it’s affecting their lives.
• Don’t try to persuade people to your point of view. Rather, seek to understand theirs. Be curious and open to new perspectives – and encourage others to do the same. Simply say “Can we talk about x? I’d love to understand where you’re at and what you need.”
• Focus on facts. While the line between fact and fiction has blurred beyond recognition, truth still matters. Seek to find it, not through emotional sparring, but through respectful debate, grounded in facts and respect.
• Be vulnerable. None of us is beyond blame for the current state of polarization in our world. Many of us have experienced an awakening during the past year that has laid bare our past failings. Don’t be afraid to share your learnings with your team. As Maya Angelou, a past poet laureate said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
• Connect the dots. As you listen to, learn from and support your team, help them see why these conversations matter for your business and how the positions your company takes support your purpose and values.

That said, we’ve never been so humbled by a crisis as we are by COVID-19 – its global reach, the speed of its spread, and its devastating impact. While our foundational experience certainly applies to this situation – and is guiding our daily efforts to help our clients plan and communicate effectively – we feel like we are writing a new playbook for a radically different and unpredictable world, even as we execute from the existing playbook, which had not long ago seemed groundbreaking with the advent of social media’s influence.

When we deliver crisis leadership training, we always start with what we call the crisis paradox: the fact that crises are wildly destructive and positively transformational.

Right now, it’s easy to see the destructive impact of COVID-19 on every organization and individual on the planet. And that destruction is magnified by our collective uncertainty; we simply don’t know how long this will last and how much of what’s happening will become the new normal – making COVID-19 more wildly destructive than any crisis we’ve imagined.

What’s harder to see – with any clarity – is the positive transformation that will surely come from this unprecedented global pandemic. Our hope comes from the stories of ingenuity, collaboration and generosity of spirit, and the growing chorus of “We’re in this together,” which just might be a signal that COVID-19 will transform the world into a kinder, more inclusive place for all.

But before we think about the future, we need to focus on the now. As federal and state governments mandate changes by the day and positive cases of the novel coronavirus increase, organizations large and small are grappling with decisions they never expected to encounter – significant operational, economic and human resources decisions … and in some cases, decisions about their strategic survival. All of which is making clear, fact-based and frequent communication job #1.

In the face of a crisis that’s changing at a pace we’re all working hard to keep up with, here are five things we’re seeing that give us confidence that positive transformation will rise out of COVID-19’s destruction:

1. Organizational leaders are prioritizing communication with their employees, providing clear direction and support, appreciation and genuine empathy. They aren’t hesitating to talk about mental health and available resources, are quickly implementing policies to protect employees’ health and financial well-being, – and they’re being deliberate about recognizing and thanking frontline employees. These actions are especially important in the context of trust. In a recent Edelman Trust Barometer survey about the coronavirus, 51 percent of U.S. respondents said they trust that their employer is well-prepared, while 43 percent said that they trust that the country is – underscoring the importance of employers’ actions and the power of effective communication – on employee trust, now and in the future. In the same survey, 63 percent said they are looking for daily, or more frequent, updates from their employers about the virus.
2. Organizations are shifting from “business as usual” to “COVID-19” mode in rapid fashion, with thoughtfulness and by benchmarking others. They are recognizing the importance of stopping or modifying in-flight messaging to make way for communications that are relevant in a world focused on social distancing and isolation. These efforts will likely prompt improvements in organizations’ messaging and communication channels that will be of value beyond this crisis.
3. Leaders are thinking about all of their stakeholders, broadening their use of technology and channels to stay connected. Unusual times demand increased transparency, resourcefulness and humility, and leaders are rising to the occasion, pushing themselves to be more visible and engage more frequently – and in new ways – with their customers, investors and communities. Those who do this especially well – with an emphasis on listening to their many audiences – will reap lasting benefits.
4. Leaders are listening and working together to do the right thing. Much like the aftermath of 9/11, the working world seems just a bit more open, receptive and kinder now that we’re all fighting an invisible enemy together. We’re witnessing a greater willingness to consider and collaborate on new ideas and innovative solutions. Relationships are being formed through this crisis that in many cases will be enduring, creating future possibilities.
5. Leaders are recognizing the demands placed on their communications team and are looking for ways to alleviate stress. Message alignment and clarity are critical, but COVID-19 communication is too much to place on the shoulders of any single individual. Organizations are identifying back-up support from within or outside the organization and structuring response efforts in a way that allows individuals to step away and recharge. And sometimes the best role a leader can play is to help the communications team say “no” to requests coming at them from all directions. Not everything in a crisis is a crisis.

While no one knows exactly how this pandemic will change not only organizational communications but life as we know it, experts are already beginning to contemplate and forecast potential impacts, revealing the positively transformational nature of crises.

At 44 Degrees North Partners, we’re fortunate to work with a disproportionate number of women CEOs. Based on our experience, it’s easy to see why their ranks should be rising much faster. We decided there’s no better time than Women’s History Month to honor the lessons we’ve learned from working with these effective and engaging leaders during the past five years.

Lesson 1: Don’t be a victim.

To reach the C-suite, virtually every woman endures some form of hardship and has the battle scars to prove it. But the successful ones are highly resilient. They don’t compromise their values, nor do they succumb to the victim mentality. They focus on their work. They find innovative ways to exist in the “good old boys’ club” – and seek opportunities to share their story with the up-and-comers in their organization.

Lesson 2: Be vulnerable and open-minded.

The dictionary definition of vulnerable is “capable of being physically or emotionally wounded.” In our experience, female CEOs are particularly effective at being vulnerable, sharing their personal stories, opening the floor to opposing points of view – and they’re more often rewarded than wounded. Rewarded with trust, engagement and loyalty from their teams, business partners, and boards. They seem to innately understand that their ability to listen and connect is ultimately more beneficial to their business than their ability to command and control.

Lesson 3: Build relationships that benefit all.

Just as the most successful businesses understand the importance of customer relationships, these women CEOs understand the value of stakeholder relationships. They have a clear grasp of the diverse stakeholder groups that matter to their organization, and they effectively prioritize their engagement with them. They know when to talk – and when to listen. They look for mutual benefit and win/win opportunities. And they understand the unmatched power of employee advocacy and are open to new ideas for connecting with all levels of the team.

Lesson 4: Know what matters.

Perhaps one of the most important traits of a CEO is the ability to discern what matters from what doesn’t. While there’s no universal right and wrong – the decision is organization- and industry-dependent – a CEO’s ability to do this (or not do it) becomes visible over time. We’ve watched with awe women CEOs with a well-developed sense of what to dive into, what to scan, and what to delegate. At the end of the day, it’s all about how they spend their time. And these CEOs, perhaps as a result of a lifetime of multitasking, know how to prioritize theirs.

Lesson #5: Find balance in your own way.

Every female CEO we’ve worked with has had to balance work with life, juggling a big, visible job with a meaningful personal life. What woman hasn’t? What’s notable about these women is how they strike that balance in a way that is uniquely theirs. They don’t follow a formula; they don’t hide their balancing act and they don’t expect special treatment. While she’s not one of the CEOs we’ve had the pleasure of working with, Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, serves as a great example, acknowledging that balancing career with family “hurt like hell.” In her goodbye letter to PepsiCo employees in 2018, she admitted that, during her tenure at the company, there were moments she’d wished she’d been able to spend more time with her children and family – and she challenged employees to  “think hard about time.” In this month dedicated to celebrating the women who have come before us, we think that may be the most precious lesson of all.

At the end of the day, in a world in which CEOs must consider the pressing and evolving needs of all their stakeholders — and demonstrate their ability to confront significant uncertainty (Source: PwC 23rd Annual Global CEO Survey, Fall 2019), female CEOs may be just what this economy – and our world – need now.