Port Fourchon Presses On
May 31, 2020
New Technology Creates a Safer Zone in Hot Work Situations
May 31, 2020
By Ray Peters, MS, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
WOW! These last weeks have been challenging for the people of the Bayou Region, around our state, and the world. Businesses close. People are laid off. Schools close. Children are sent home. Parents become teachers. Restaurants close. People are learning to cook again. Toilet paper and hand sanitizers have become valued commodities. Only “essential” businesses remain open.
Throughout my professional career, I was always made to remain on the job when all “non-essential” personnel went home. Today, there has been much discussion on what is an essential business and what is not. One Thibodaux merchant complained that he did not understand how mulch could be an essential product and clothing not. To his point, our local big-box DIY retailer seems to be doing well. Most businesses in downtown Thibodaux remain shuttered.
Since being required to transfer my traditionally face-to-face leadership class to a virtual, online format, my students and I have discussed many elements of leadership amid COVID-19. We talked about the performance of leaders ranging from President Trump and Governor Edwards to Mayor Cantrell in New Orleans, all of which are in the tenuous situation of leading through crisis.
As I often share with my students, all leadership is situational and contextual, subject to change at any moment. Roles are different. Focuses are different. Leading at the federal level is different than leading at both the state and local levels. As I understand it, constitutionally, governors have the primary leadership authority over directing crisis management activities in their respective states. I do not believe this is widely recognized.
When I look at leadership, I view it through the prism of emotional intelligence. Our leadership textbook defines emotional intelligence as a “person’s ability to understand his or her own and others’ emotions, and then to apply this understanding to life’s tasks; the ability to perceive and express emotions, to use emotions to facilitate thinking, to understand and reason with emotions, and to manage emotions effectively within oneself and in relationships with others.”
Expressed more plainly by Christopher Sirk, “Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and take care of one’s emotions, as well as express them judiciously.” Key elements include empathy, self-awareness, and self-regulation. Even more simply, emotionally intelligent people take responsibility for themselves and their actions. They are not victims, and they do not blame others.
Right now, we need leaders that can effectively practice emotional intelligence. Additionally, during this time of crisis, we need leaders, according to a recent Gallup article, who are trustworthy, show compassion, demonstrate stability, and provide hope.
Even during the best of times, leaders need to be available and, more importantly, approachable. Employees need to know and feel confident that their leaders have their best interests at heart. So, during times of crisis, leaders need to be more present and visible, to inspire confidence, and provide employees with a sense of security.
During periods of crisis, leaders must demonstrate a strong willingness to make difficult decisions – deciding what to do, and then taking decisive action. I use a simple formula, determine the right thing to do, and then do it. Remember, difficult situations rarely have simple solutions.
Probably the most challenging leadership role during times of crisis is providing vision. Yes, according to Max Dupree, a leader’s fundamental purpose is to define reality. But, during critical times, people want to know where they are going, and can they trust their leader to get them safely to the intended destination. Candidly, during this crisis period, this has been most frustrating to me – much talk about tactics, but limited vision.
I hope we have turned the corner with this deadly virus by the time this article is published and that we have returned to normal, whatever that looks like. Also, personally, for the first time in my professional career, the label “essential” has been removed from my job duties.
Ray Peters is MBA Director & Leadership Instructor at Nicholls State University. He can be reached at ray.peters@nicholls.edu. •
