Predictability of factors that impact a business has always been a key to managing the business.
Few things in recent years have illustrated the importance of predictability as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compared to a year ago, it seems that for most businesses, the effects of COVID-19 on the workforce are becoming more manageable with the availability of vaccines, improved therapeutics and personal safety measures adopted by many workers and employers.
Yet the full impact from the pandemic is far from clear, and is still evolving.
Issues leaders face
Leaders are currently being confronted with issues such as:
- the Great Resignation of 2021,
- labor and product shortages,
- balancing the preference of many workers to work remotely with the desire of many employers for a more traditional physical presence in the workplace,
- achieving connectivity to clients in the face of reduced in-person interaction,
- challenges to holding group meetings and team-building activities,
- and many others.
The quote attributed to Einstein comes to mind: “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
The responses required of leaders
Leadership is being challenged to be adaptive, to rethink business models, and to be more empathetic with new and legitimate stresses experienced by employees.
At the same time, leaders have to figure out how to maintain accountability and accomplish what is necessary to achieve business goals to ensure the business provides job security to its workforce.
