We are navigating challenging times right now (no, really?). 

And as well as managing our own personal circumstances and emotional journey through the pandemic, and supporting our family and friends, some of us are also leaders of people in our work lives.

Team leaders, Managers, Supervisors, Senior Leadership Team, C-Suite. How are you doing right now?

We know that the impact of the pandemic on our work lives has been MASSIVE. The shift to remote working or hybrid working, the impact on work/life balance, possible reduction in job security, furlough or redundancy situations, mental health challenges and resulting impact on work performance have all changed the working landscape radically, in a very short space of time.

Anyone at the helm of a team or an organization right now has been called upon to lead in new and challenging ways in a world full of uncertainty. 

So how have you responded to the demands of your position as the pandemic has played out? 

One of the myths about leadership that I really want to bust is that we have to have it all figured out. That we have to know the answers, be absolutely certain and consistent in our messaging, and that we need to seem bulletproof to our people – strong, capable and managing everything that’s happening with ease and grace. 

We absolutely don’t.

As Amy C. Edmondson says in her brilliant Ted Talk: "We have to flip the leadership playbook".

What this means is showing up as human. To allow ourselves to not have all the answers all the time, to experience our emotions in challenging circumstances and know that that is ok, and to be present in our vulnerability with our teams. To be able to say: “this is difficult” and to create space for people to share their experience.  

Showing up in humility and vulnerability actually creates an environment of psychological safety and trust in your people – a sense of ‘we are all in this together’ even during the toughest of times. 

And one of the other things you can do as a leader in uncertain times is to communicate frequently, even when (especially when) you don’t have all the answers. To share what you do know, acknowledge what you don’t, and have your people know that they will be apprised of any new information as soon as it is available. 

So just remember this: you don’t have to be a superhero to be a superb leader.