A Thriving Culture in a Covid19 World!

One of the biggest challenges businesses face is maintaining a positive culture during very trying times. There are always stresses that every business faces, even in normal times. Add a crisis, such as the Covid19 outbreak, and the stresses increase exponentially. How do we all survive in these times? Or better yet, how do we thrive?

In order to thrive, a business must have a thriving culture. Thriving cultures are all based on core values and key operating principles. Trouble brews when an organization starts making decisions based on the elements of a crisis rather than the purpose for which the organization was created. As we begin to navigate this crisis, there’s no doubt that the present circumstances and conditions will color how we respond, but we must make certain that what we do stays true to our values and principles. This is not the time to abandon our culture. It is a great time to show the world how your culture will help your organization not just survive, but actually thrive.

Many leaders are very decisive and action oriented people. But, most of the people they lead are more focused on stability, consistency, and just getting through each day. As leaders attempt to communicate during times of crisis, they often want to be seen as in control, decisive, and ready for action. Even though this is very important, it is even more important for leaders to show compassion. The lives of every day people have been turned upside down. Everything they’ve counted on is now in jeopardy. What they need more than anything else is someone to convincingly tell them that “everything will be alright. It might get worse before it gets better but, as your leader, I am here for you!” Every single company we advise has values that are focused on their people. It is imperative that leaders reinforce those values so that, as the crisis subsides, the organization will be positioned to hit the accelerator and get back on track with the business at hand.

The secret to thriving during a crisis is to have a values based culture, what we refer to as a Legacy Culture. Legacy Culture driven organizations will come out of this crisis just as they have every other crisis that has come along; in excellent shape and ready to take on new and more exciting challenges. They are ready for them because they never stopped being who they were meant to be. They never shifted into survival mode. They stayed in the moment and operated from their core values and principles. Although there were nervous times, there was never a panic. Those legacy leaders we know are already doing this and we are proud to know these amazing people!