Welcome to the “Phoney War”
A lot of CEOs are facing burnout, some very acutely. But many wouldn’t call it that. The words I’m hearing are “flat”. “frustrated”, “grumpy” (that includes me - if you believe my TEC groups!)
We've got through the first phase of COVID 19. We've locked ourselves down, we've opened ourselves up, well some of us have anyway, we've developed a COVID readiness plan and we've now got a “back to work” plan.
We've looked after our employees. We’ve made sure people can work from home if needed and have discovered many things about ourselves as leaders and our executive team – mostly great. For most of the CEOs I work with they have delivered exceptional performance far exceeding their expectations. But they still look down the road with justifiable anxiety.
So what’s this about burnout?
You do not have to be exhausted to experience burnout. My CEO peer groups with The Executive Connection started meeting face to face two weeks ago again and it was evident that even the strongest of us are feeling it.
Often it is a flatness. The “Phoney War” feeling. It certainly is concern for some of the senior executive team – some demonstrating real mental issues; others putting a brave face.
What’s the solution?
Part of the solution is, of course, a personal one. Take a break, or at the very least plan to take a break – not so easy if you are still restricted.
The other part is to refocus on what you have to do as a business leader. The work isn’t done yet. Most are describing the emergence from COVID 19 as a marathon, not a sprint.
So, how do CEOs refocus their priorities on the next few months?
There are two linked models which I think help business leaders and their executive team refocus their energies at a time of potential burnout; One is tactical and the focus of this article, the other is a strategic approach, based on four simple steps in a parallel article to this one.
The simple 2 x 2 below is often used as a time management tool but can be used very effectively at being disciplined at focusing on what YOU have to be involved with. You and your executive team can have a debate but after a while most of you will conclude as below:
Most businesses I know still have weekly or sometimes daily COVID meetings although these are phasing out. While acknowledging staff anxiety will still be very high and many with concerns about relatives or school policies, its time to delegate. Be visible, be supportive, but your job is to ensure the long-term business sustainability.
Get above the line and be brutal about what is of High Importance that requires the leaders attention.
If it was critical before COVID hit, it is even more the case that retaining and attracting great people is the greatest challenge facing most business leaders. It isn’t usually the lack of experience – it’s more often the attitudes and values and ability to respond to change that are rare. As Jim Collins describes in “Good to Great” it is getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats. This, he argues, is more important than getting a great vision.
That said I believe that most businesses have a bit of time to plan and design their key staff retention strategy. I know some already are facing this but even for these businesses there is an even more pressing issue: Positioning in the marketplace.
In fact one reason clear positioning is critical is that, without this, retaining and attracting the top team is almost impossible.
Matt Tice, TEC speaker and Author of “Insurgence, How Established Incumbents Can Operate Like Nimble Insurgents in Fast Changing and Volatile Markets” has emphasised that now (i.e. Mid 2020) is there will never be better time for Smart businesses.
Matt argues that to do that we have to engage even more with our customers and re-imagine with them their future.
Ashton Bishop, Australia’s predatory marketer reinforces that point with seven key elements of customer centricity.
“Certainty is not Persuadable” - Grant Leboff
Grant Leboff, behavioural economist and Author of Sticky Marketing reminds us the ‘Certainty is not persuadable” The art of true customer engagement is to restate or reposition a perspective so that a customer changes. And every one of us has had to reflect and consider what we might change.
Over the next six months the one thing a business leader needs to double down on is a focus on marketing, in the true sense of the word. Marketing is the ultimate strategic function – identifying customer value and leading the charge in delivering that value.
Grant Leboff - Sticky Marketing - One the UK’s leading experts on Marketing and Lead generation
On the basis of this priority, I have invited Grant Leboff, one the UK’s leading experts in Marketing and Lead generation and a very vocal champion of the importance of marketing right now to join me for a Joined-Up Conversation.
We will work with business leaders and marketing professionals in a zoom based face to face workshop on Thursday 1st October. Attendees will have the opportunity to join the “Sticky Marketing Club” – a leading edge marketing resource.
If you are interested in joining us just click on the button to link to the relevant webpage.
