THREE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS YOU MUST HAVE IN THE COVID 19 SCENARIO
The COVID 19 pandemic has caused widespread destruction in terms of financial losses, reduced sales and an increase in mental health problems such as insecurity, anxiety and depression. Being a therapist and business consultant, I have seen many of my clients being completely lost and helpless since nation-wide lockdowns have been announced and business have crashed. Here are some simple conversations you must have in order to keep yourself, your team and your clients positive till we overcome the pandemic.
Conversations with YOURSELF
Reassure yourself that this will pass soon- Keep telling yourself that the dip is just temporary like all ups and downs in life, this too shall pass.
Tell yourself that you are capable of overcoming any situation- Remind yourself of all the challenges that you have overcome in the past and tell yourself that you have the capability to stand strong and fight the situation like a warrior.
Encourage yourself to be dynamic enough to think of new ideas- Whatever solutions have worked in the past might not work in the current situation. Tell yourself to think out of the box, be dynamic and think of new ideas by using a mix of intuition as well as knowledge.
Remind yourself that you have always worked hard in the past- It is very easy to get lethargic while working from home. Remind yourself of the times when you have had to burn the candle at both ends to reach where you are in life. Keep reminding yourself that you have it in you to work harder than ever and recover any losses you may have had.
Remind yourself why you do what you do- Remind yourself why you started doing what you are doing. Why did you choose your profession, why did you fall in love with your work? Remind yourself of all the goals that you have set for your life and tell yourself that you can still get there
Conversations with YOUR TEAM
Empathize with your team- This time is difficult for your team also and remember they might not be as resilient and secure as you in these tough times. Empathise with them by regularly asking them how they feel and how their families are and show concern wherever possible.
Tell your team that you are always with them- Remember that they look at you as the north star that always guides them. Ask them what their challenges are regularly and tell them that no matter what, you are always there to support and guide them.
Lead by example- It is very important that your team sees you as optimistic and resilient in the current situation. Remember that soldiers retreat if the General falls. Take the lead in planning new projects, tracking work effectively and opening new avenues.
Keep them engaged- Conduct weekly engagement activities with your team, play some games or simply have virtual coffee meets which are light-hearted and do not discuss work during these meets
Drive accountability- In the current situation, now more than ever it is necessary that you team takes ownership and accountability for their work. Make sure you influence them without authority, get ideas out of them and drive commitment by making them take responsibility for their actions.
Conversations with YOUR CLIENTS
Show support- Understand that a lot of your clients are facing challenges like bad debts, budget cuts and lay-offs. Try to show them support in as many ways as possible so that they always remember that you were there during their bad times
Communicate to maintain relations- Do not communicate with your clients only to sell. They might not be in a position to buy right now. However, keep them updates about any new products or services you have. Communicate with them regularly just to check how they are doing and to maintain relations with them. When it comes to building brand loyalty, these small steps go a very long way.
Recommend solutions to cut down their losses- We are all in this situation together and it is only together that all of us can get out of this situation. Wherever you see that your clients can use your expertise to cut losses or increase revenue, do not hesitate to extend a helping hand and give suggestions.
While all these steps are very simple, they are quiet challenging to implement on a daily basis. If you need further help, guidance or support with any of the above points, please feel free to reach out to us at www.search4excellence.com.
