Feeling apprehensive about returning to the workplace? You wouldn’t be alone.
In the initial stages of this pandemic, adapting our business and work was the talk of the town. Now that we have accepted, tested, pivoted and muddled our way through a roller coaster of change, most of us have just settled into the remote working routine.
It is going to sap the reserves of the adaptability we have to lead our teams back to the office…whatever that looks like. Anyone clear yet? Maybe clarity is a myth and just like the ups and downs of the shift to working from home, the move back to the office is likely to require nimble side stepping as different issues arise. It is likely that things won’t pan out the way we thought they would…even going back to something that should feel familiar.
Only it won’t. Rapid antigen testing? A positive result on the fourth floor? Difficult conversations about vaccination status? A local school closure forcing working parents back home? There are many possible scenarios and while we can plan for some of them, the best tool in our arsenal could simply be how we respond when they emerge at the time.
Just like the ups and downs of the shift to working from home, the move back to the office is likely to require nimble side stepping as different issues arise.
Click on the image here for a recent HBR article on protecting yourself from re-entry stress. It has just landed and it is a ripper. Melody Wilding is an executive coach and author who works closely with executive leaders. She highlights the current concerns of her client leaders and shares some practical tips that has helped them protect themselves to be better and more adaptable leaders.
October 12, 2021
Re-Entry Stress Is Contagious. Here’s How To Protect Yourself.
Wilding asks ‘So how do you shield yourself from “catching” other’s re-entry anxiety? Here’s how to avoid being an emotional sponge while still being empathetic to your team’s needs and concerns.’
I loved the visual boundary setting on p.3 that suggest how to avoid taking on the residual feelings. After all, we are dealing with our own issues so ensuring we don’t add on stress from others will mean we can be there for our people without crumbling ourselves.
The examples on how to acknowledge the feelings of others (p.4) while then transitioning smoothly onto a way forward or providing an offer to explore what support will help are some of the best I have come across.
I hear you’re worried about our new hybrid schedule. What have you considered so far in terms of adjusting how you’re prioritising your workload?
Excerpt from 2021 HBR article, ‘Re-entry stress is contagious. Here’s how to protect yourself.’ Wilding, M. October 12, 2021.
The final section ends with some pragmatic suggestions on how to disconnect from work re-entry stress which is an essential element for us all in our attempts to remain emotionally resilient leaders for the path ahead. A bit like that traditional adage of putting your oxygen mask on first to be the best help to others…a cliché that still rings true!
Enjoy the read, and if you think this will be helpful for other leaders in your network, click on the button to share with others on LinkedIn.
Until the next Adaptability Factor…
