Leaders are like teabags. You only find out how strong they are when they’re put in hot water.

Leaders should be strong like a strong tea

I like my tea STRONG. Like Creosote. Like Tar that sticks and binds us together. 

You might be interested to know that the way employers and leaders have handled the COVID-19 crisis will impact whether their employees will stay with them when times get better.
 

In fact, more than 65% of employees surveyed have indicated that they have been disappointed with the leadership response, and that they will move jobs when the economy bounces back.

These stats aren’t surprising as we know that almost 75% of employees leave their bosses, not their jobs. However, what I find most interesting is those that WERE leavers, and that are NOW keepers!
 
I was talking to a business acquaintance last week who I’d been liaising with about new opportunities. He’d become disengaged and disheartened by the strategic direction of the business so he intended to resign at the end of May, take some time to travel and then take on a new role in September. However, when we spoke again last week, he had made the decision to stay put.
 
You may think that it was because his travel plans lay in tatters, or, let’s face it, everyone is clinging to the jobs they have because there are limited employment options out there, and I dare say these were considerations. But the overwhelming reason for staying, and for the long term, was the response made by his leadership team to the crisis.
 
Wow! What did they do, you might ask? Well, it is not only because he could see that the business respects and values it’s employees, or that they have invested heavily in communications and technology to support the transition, or that they allowed everyone to slow down and put their health and families first. No, he said:
 

“it is because the leaders LEAD. They communicated the good, the bad and the plan. Then they used their learnings.”

He was watching his business innovate, pivot, change and ENGAGE the workforce. He saw the future with that employer was where he wanted to be.
 
How has your Leader handled the crisis? Are they Tar? Or are they Dishwater? Will you be leaving your boss or your leader?
Filed under:
Published on: 26/05/2020
Author: Suzy Howard, Director | mme group

Related Articles

Give to Gain: Katherine Moore

‎ ‎ Katherine Moore: Resilience, Reinvention and the Power of Showing Up for Others As Head of Customer Experience at True Protein, Katherine brings a rare blend of emotional intelligence, commercial instinct and human-centred leadership to one of the Northern Beaches’ fastest growing brands. Her path, from aerobics studios and personal training floors to building high performing CX teams, reflects a lifelong commitment to helping…

Read More

Give to Gain: Jacqui O’Donnell

‎ As Director of BioCeuticals, Jacqui O’Donnell brings a rare blend of scientific curiosity, commercial clarity, and deeply human leadership to one of the Northern Beaches’ most significant employers. Her journey from engineering labs to leading Australia’s premier practitioner-only supplements brand reflects a commitment to learning, lifting others, and creating environments where people can thrive….

Read More