Over the past weeks, many of us are finding ourselves in uncharted territory. We are having to do all of our day-to-day work activities – including managing clients, conducting meetings, and making sure that business runs as usual – all from our home offices. On top of that, schools are closed and people are being advised to stay at home as much as possible. Many of us are entertaining and teaching our children as well as cooking and cleaning more than usual.

Personally, I have found myself with a newfound appreciation for teachers, housekeepers, and caretakers. Not to mention the thousands of people who are working tirelessly at hospitals, grocery stores, and other essential organizations. Though it is a challenge to transition to telework with brand new duties on our to-do lists, there are many practical ways we can help our employees who are suddenly in this same boat as well as those who serve our larger communities.

Get Comfortable with Pivoting

Your employees might be brand new to working from home. There is a learning curve. Many of them will, like you, be just beginning to navigate a host of new challenges all at once. Leadership in this time calls for compassion, patience, and ingenuity.

The digital world has truly stepped up to the plate with free offerings to make this transition easier on all of us. For example, Comcast is taking steps to keep American connected. Earlier this month, Comcast Cable’s CEO said “during this extraordinary time, it is vital that as many Americans as possible stay connected to the internet – for education, work, and personal health reasons. Just this week, Zoom’s CEO Eric Yuan took another measure to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus: he announced that his company would provide free equipment bundles for K-12 educators. These are just two examples among many.

This access to the internet is vital to keep business operational, but also opens the door to other issues such as “How can business leaders promote productivity and accountability during this time of crisis?” Please click here to read my articles about how to support your employees and encourage full productivity.

Reaching Out

The good news is, we are all in this together. As a successful business leader, you have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact within communities in which we work and to support non-profits in need. Make a commitment to serve as a member of a nonprofit Board or volunteer/support an organization doing good work. Encourage your employees to do the same.

In addition, here are some ways we can all help:

  • Support local artists, do your yearly philanthropy right now, buy a book, or an album. Donate the price of a pair of tickets to that show you wanted to see that was canceled.
  • Support local restaurants and businesses by purchasing a gift card now that you can use later. Many restaurants are still offering delivery and curbside pickup services.
  • Continue to pay your housekeeper (if you are able to do so) and perhaps consider paying your hair stylist for future services.
  • The American Red Cross is asking for blood donations now and for the foreseeable future.

In good times and difficult times, DeSantis Trusted Advisors provides consulting, advisory, and coaching services to businesses and their stakeholders with the goal of creating a pathway to success. Please contact me today if we can be of any help to you or your organization