Each day we are met by a range of news headlines about COVID-19 which could understandably induce doubt and anxiety. With the onset of these emotions, it would be all too easy to let our mind spiral out of control.
While physical isolation is an important and necessary precaution, it’s important for leaders to ensure that emotional isolation does not manifest itself within their workforce. Now more than ever, leaders must enable their teams to take control of their own mental well-being.
For this to happen effectively, leaders and employees must both play their part. Employees should work on creating the necessary headspace to channel feelings of uncertainty and adversity during these challenging times, while leaders should work on promoting emotional connectivity between their remote teams.
So, what causes stress and fear?
The stress response originates in a region of the brain called the amygdala. From there, they spread through the body, causing us to react physically to their emotional intensity – including a racing heart, sweating, adrenaline and cortisol – and make us go into fight or flight mode.
Being in fight or flight mode affects the way we behave and impacts those around us. If we are breathing quickly, feel restless or are speaking nervously, others will notice, and often, will copy it. This is because we are naturally ingrained to respond neurologically and physiologically to other people’s emotions, which is why laughing or crying is contagious.
How can we manage these emotions?
To a certain extent, we are dependent on the emotions of people around us. However, the more we understand how the brain works, the more we can leverage this inside knowledge to prevent these emotions from taking control.
Slow and measured breathing is a simple yet effective method for slowing down and calming the activity of the amygdala. Meditating is also a useful tool for managing any anxiety which Coronavirus may generate, ensuring that our mind stays present, engaged and productive throughout the day.
You are what you think
The Coronavirus pandemic has altered our work-life at an extraordinary rate. It has never been more important to stay grounded and feel present. Emotional regulation techniques can go a long way in helping us take control of any unwarranted emotions or thoughts.
One of the most effective emotional regulation techniques is mindfulness. Mindfulness helps us take ownership of our emotions and gain control over their effects. An important feature of mindfulness is controlled thinking, where we focus all our attention on our current internal and external experiences. Allotting a time in the day to focus on our present emotions and thoughts rather than dwelling on the past or jumping ahead to the future will help us break down our emotions and prevent them from escalating. By being attuned to our emotions and thoughts, we can remain calm and grounded, giving us the mental energy to focus on our work.
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Leading with emotion
So, what does this mean for leaders?
While there is a strong case for leading with emotion, it is crucial that managers lead with the right emotions. Leading based on fear and anxiety could have serious detrimental effects on team morale and connectivity, particularly when dealing with a remote workforce. Instead, leaders should establish a positive emotional connection with their workforce which is built around trust, compassion and authenticity.
There is no such thing as over-communicating – especially now. Leaders should use technology to their advantage: daily video updates or virtual group meditations before meetings will help quell anxious internal dialogues amongst employees. Having open, positive conversations with teams will help leaders to weather the emotional storm of the current pandemic. Moreover, remain honest about the current situation with both yourself and your employees; honesty is one of the key cornerstones to any successful relationship and is often too easily overlooked in the pursuit of reaching commercial goals.
Finally, the unprecedented uncertainty that we are facing each day makes it impossible to make definitive plans more than a month in advance. Although leaders are inclined to draw up long term strategies, it’s important to be realistic and take each week as it comes. Don’t make commitments or statements that are contingent on changing circumstances, as this will only create more confusion.
Whilst our emotional state will understandably be affected by the current climate, it is key to remember that we have the power to control our thoughts and regulate our emotions. Employing tools such as meditation, mindfulness and constant communication can help create and nurture the necessary headspace to focus on our work and remain emotionally connected as a team – ultimately making us more resilient to the uncertainty and change that awaits us.
By Simon Ashton
About the Author:
Simon Ashton, Head of Learning and Development at Phoenix Leaders:
Simon Ashton is a business psychologist, trainer and certified coach, with over 15 years’ experience in L&D. At Phoenix Leaders, Simon works with clients across a broad range of sectors to solve their L&D issues by applying the most up to date research from the fields of neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, social sciences. With both an academic and professional background in behavioural sciences, Simon helps organisations gain a better understanding of how people act, think and feel, transforming performance and maximising potential to achieve tangible business outcomes.
Prior to joining Phoenix Leaders, Simon headed up his own L&D consultancy and has previously held a number of roles in the executive search field. Simon holds an MSc in Business Psychology and is accredited by the British Psychological Society as a psychometric assessment practitioner.
Phoenix Leaders:
In a world of technology-driven social and economic disruption, leaders face an unprecedented need to be able to adapt and flex their thinking to future risks and opportunities. Today’s leaders need to be transparent, authentic and emotionally aware; and to be able to communicate across different generations and cultures – from Gen Z to the Baby Boomers.
As our working lives lengthen and traditional careers decline, leaders need the resilience to step up and also down, as the roles they play will vary in multiple different ways and at different times. Based in Cyprus, Phoenix Leaders specialise in training business leaders in L&D, HR, communication and creativity.
