We are already a year through this global pandemic, and statistics show a repeat, and worse, higher cases recorded as new variants of the virus emerged. As the saying goes, it is not the magnitude of the earthquake that causes much damage but the duration of it. How are we as individuals, families, organizations, and companies thriving through this health and economic crisis?
This adversity cannot simply be survived as resources run out; jobs are in decline; companies tighten belts to maintain business continuity; and old concepts and many business models have rendered faulty amidst the test of pandemic.
The new normal calls for new ways of living and working.
In our recent leadership webinar kickoff - Breaking Barriers through Grisilient Leadership, we tackled relevant conversations on how companies and its respective leaders exemplified grisiliency in an adversity rich world.
“Our values are meaningless until tested by adversity”. Dr. Paul Stotlz, Founder & CEO, of Peak Learning.
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Revisiting our purpose and values
“Our values are meaningless until tested by adversity”. Dr. Paul Stotlz, Founder & CEO, of Peak Learning.
Lin Mukhi, President of PMAP narrated that upon the announcement of lockdown last March 2020, PMAP remained true to their organization’s purpose of advancing sound people management practices and empowering employees nationwide, by quickly pivoting online, taking the hit on the cost to proceed with their 2020 General Membership Meeting to make sure businesses have the capability, the knowledge, and the tools that will be needed to keep operating while keeping their employees safe.
She continued on saying, l, “Find opportunities to grow from this situation. Take control, make a decision, how much impact will this situation have upon you. Will it make you stop pursuing your dreams? Pursuing your purpose? How much reach will it impact, will it pull you down? In every crisis there is an opportunity for us to grow as people to find ways to grow for our organizations because this is it for us. This is our situation. We can only say that this will not bring us down, but would rather propel us to the next level”.
“Our initial response is to self preserve, prioritize health and safety for the people, family and community. But what really separates a leader starts with the mindset to go beyond these instinctive reactions,” - Eric Francia, President of AC Energy.“
A mindset shift
The conversation went on to discuss that as humans, “our initial response is to self preserve, prioritize health and safety for the people, family and community. But what really separates a leader starts with the mindset to go beyond these instinctive reactions,” according to Eric Francia, President of AC Energy.“
President of SM Super Malls, Steven Tan says, “Unprecedented times calls for unprecedented measure. I’ve been telling the organization, erase everything that you have learned before. Let's start from the beginning. Listen to your customers. See what they are looking for. You really have to start from scratch. There's no such thing as "we're doing this before". Design it and engineer it based on this current pandemic that we are facing.``
These leaders did not simply act on defense but surely took a step of offense and shifted gears to thrive and not just survive.
Both organizations stood up and took responsibility by recreating and reprogramming their playbooks for the benefit of people working under them and other businesses they were working with.
Compassion and positive contagion
According to Dr. Paul Stoltz, “It's very common for people to camp in the shadow of a high AQ Leader.” They will depend and ride on the person’s positivity and leadership while not embracing their own. This is a perfect mix for disappointment and discouragement for the people under as leaders also are not always on their 100%.
What Lin Mukhi shares about this issue is noteworthy. “We share a common humanity… even the COOs will have his fears, there will be times he will not be able to sleep well because of anxiety but he cannot show that with his people. So we all have our situations unique to us that make us react and act in ways which may not be at our best. Coming from that perspective of compassion, we do not excuse the leaders who failed to live up to the calling of what it takes to be a leader, but we come from a space of compassion, and going deeper understanding what might be prompting the behavior. When we come from that standpoint, we can now open up a dialogue wherein we look at ways that would help to further stimulate growth and taking the situation, not putting anyone on the spot, because it is important that we respect, and we show regards for the esteem of everybody else, but open up a dialogue, and we could say that we are all in the situation, we're coping with reality, we are not at our best also.”
As a leader, “It is so tempting to impose my optimistic mindset, but first of all, it is to listen to their concerns and problems, and their view of the situation. And from there, you just need to slowly ask the right questions and reframe the conversation,” says Eric Francia.
Grisilient leaders listen, ask the right questions, and acknowledge that they don’t know it all.
“It's not just about me. It's not just about the leaders, executives, it's everyone's wisdom. Down from the rank and file, we really harness everything and then make this through and make it as our new playbook,” - Steven Tan, President of SM Super Malls
Leaders are called to create a positive contagion to their area of influence, but as a member of a community, a family, or an organization, anyone can be a grisilient leader - becoming a catalyst for change, wherever and whenever. No matter the collar one wears around his neck, no matter what gender or marital condition, not only for one eloquent in speech but for the skilled and the rugged. Grisilience is a personal mission that differs from person to person but together can achieve goals.
As Dr. Paul Stoltz put it, “Can you imagine going out of bed and putting yourself to any better use than that? This is my gauge of personal success. If I spent the day and put myself toward noble and elevating contribution cost and benefit, I was put to good use and that was a good day - that what grisilient leadership is about.”
Join us on the second series of Breaking Barriers, Reaching PEAK Adaptability: Employing the Discipline of Grisilient Leadership. Register here for free.
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