#Unexpected March 14
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In life sometimes leaders come face to face with UNEXPECTED challenges that no amount of planning could have anticipated. That has been the case this week.
We didn’t see the tsunami coming and have no recipe to follow to deal with it. We also have to act and decide in a moments notice.
We have a leadership bomb dropped on us. The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent changes to our lives is certainly a UNEXPECTED event wrought with leadership challenges. Things we have planned and prepared for are wiped out with decisions from up above. The goals and dreams dashed by an event that is out of their control.
What can leaders do to help the ones they need to serve? I have pondered that question for the past 36 hours.
My first thought is sometimes on teams people have to change their roles. I believe that is what all of us have to do with COVID-19. We have to embrace a new WHY on changes in our lives all in a moments notice.
In athletics sometimes a starter is asked to come off the bench, a scorer is asked to be a passer, a QB is asked to be a WR, or a starting pitcher is asked to become a relief pitcher. Not every person can do that. There are lots of reasons why not. I believe it all starts with trust.
Changing roles is never easy. Every team, every organization, business, church, non-profit, every university professor, and every individual is being asked to change roles due to COVID-19.
We all are being asked to sacrifice and give up our current role to help mankind. The decision to social distance means events people have prepared for are cancelled. It is gut wrenching.
We have to decide if we trust the message to social distance. If we do then the WHY for changing our role makes sense. We are helping others avoid future hardship and possible death. If we don’t we will grow bitter.
Dysfunctional teams cannot achieve results. Those type of teams do not trust the leaders. I believe that there are enough leaders out there who people trust. I am optimistic that those teams with servant leaders are going to set the example for how we best deal with the UNEXPECTED.
Sacrifice is painful and it will not happen if we do not have a why. Our best leaders are going to take the UNEXPECTED and find a way for their team to serve others.
The history of mankind includes previous generations who made sacrifices to give us the life we have now. They gave up careers to go to war. They risked persecution for us to have freedom. They endured hardships to help us reach where we are at today. It is easy to forget those sacrifices.
Maybe the rapid move to have us personally sacrifice is UNEXPECTED but I believe it is our time to do our part for future generations.
I am asking a favor. I would love to profile leaders who are helping their teams navigate the UNEXPECTED. The team does not have to be large or one we all have heard of.
If you have an example of a leader or team please share. My goal is to do future post(s) about lessons learned about the UNEXPECTED.
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