Guiding Principles for Leaders During a Physically Distant, Socially Connected Time
At Blue Beyond, we believe in the power of human potential to solve our most intractable problems. It’s what we are built for.
For more than a decade, we have partnered with organizations as they navigate times of change, while creating thriving workplaces with engaged employees. We believe that humans are resilient, creative, smarter together — and are built to adapt to new circumstances in innovative ways.
As we navigate this time, here are principles we know to be true:
We’ve got this!
- Humans have been going through profound challenges throughout history. We are creative, courageous, resilient, and smarter together. This is our challenge, and this is our time. We can and will do the hard things — together. Resilience and courage is a team sport.
- The current situation will not be measured in weeks, it’s likely to be months, and we will feel impact and change for years.
- There will likely be “waves” of new information and more restriction of movement followed by less, and this has the potential to cause continued disruption.
- This is going to change lives and create loss. Leaders have to remain grounded in the present, consider the long-term effects, and work every day to deliver value and support to those we can.
Today’s leaders must honor and meet the intense challenges of the present, while also looking forward with a bias for action.
- This is not about “getting through” something. Finding opportunities to grow culture and strengthen bonds within our organizations will help the world do the same.
- Humans, and thus organizations, will certainly emerge changed from this situation. We want to harness emerging leader perspectives that have the potential to foster greater social responsibility. We want to support leaders who value real human connections with their employees, customers, and communities. We want to help them lead with compassion, understanding, presence, and gratitude, and grow their organizations through workplaces where employees can — and want to do their best work.
- Leaders and companies who lean more fervently on organizational purpose will drive greater clarity and emerge stronger. Nothing drives engagement more than a compelling and meaningful “why” and a sense of “we’re all in this together.”
- We will all learn our way through — we will adapt, be inventive, and we will find new ways to add value to our clients and to the world. We’ll try new things and adjust as we go.
- Businesses can be a force for good — and we need to step up to this potential and be places where humans feel a sense of pride, dignity, and respect. Let’s seize this opportunity to create a future where all can thrive.
