The Pandemic Might Have Made You a Better Leader – Here’s How
The COVID-19 pandemic instilled a lot of fear in people across the world. It brought unexpected change most of us didn’t want or need. Overnight, we were forced to adjust to a “new normal” we weren’t ready for. We changed the way we worked, learned, and balanced all of life’s responsibilities.
While the pandemic brought a lot of negative change into our lives, it also forced us to modify for a new reality. Below are three ways the pandemic might have made you a better leader.
Adaptability
One of the biggest life skills learned during this last year has been adaptability. Being able to adjust to new conditions is exactly what so many of us did overnight. We changed how we worked, where we worked, and how we collaborated with individuals we were no longer allowed to share physical space with.
Leaders need to be able to adjust and respond to changing circumstances because, many times, things don’t go as planned. If you’ve mastered adaptability during the pandemic, you’re on the right track to become a leader.
Flexibility
Similar to adaptability, flexibility is also related to change. It’s your wiliness to change and adapt to how work gets done. Being able to adjust to short-term change is a great way to flex your workplace flexibility muscle. For many corporate employees, this meant transitioning to working from home without knowing an endgame and switching from in-person meetings to virtual meetings almost instantly.
Leadership requires flexibility because, as we learned this year, things could change in an instant. 2020 was full of unforeseen circumstances, so adjusting to them, especially while leading a team, is essential.
Vulnerability
Most people don’t talk about the importance of vulnerability in the workplace, because for some, blending work and personal life isn’t essential. That’s because vulnerability is often seen as weak or fragile. For me, I see vulnerability as authenticity, and a key way to build meaningful and trustworthy relationships with those you work with.
I value leaders who are both strong and genuine. If this year has allowed you to be comfortable with your vulnerable side, congratulations, that’s a skill that can come in handy when leading others, both in and out of the workplace.
