Just 2 weeks ago I was inspired by my CEO who, in responding to COVID-19 suggested that “this is a time for all business leaders to remain calm, confident and resilient” (Deutsch, 2020). These words provided me with an anchor from which to ground myself during these unprecedented times. COVID-19 is the 100-year event which we find ourselves living through. The unpredictability of this event has caused us to alter our work environments as we find large work communities working remotely from home.
Many of us are doing so now surrounded by our pre-school, school-age and/or University-aged children, rather than our colleagues. We’re also working in close proximity to spouses, life-partners, flat mates, friends and pets in a way which we never anticipated or expected. Bedrooms have become offices. Dining-room tables and kitchen benches are now multi-purposed beyond their intended design. And best yet, we are adapting and carrying on.
With the stance of staying calm, confident and resilient, business leaders can formulate their own responses to these altered circumstances. They can maintain their perspective and decision-making skills. They can lean into the unpredictability with greater ease.
Self-determination theory
In order to better our response and maintain a sense of calm, confidence and resilience, business leaders should consider their level of self-determination. Self-determination is a psychological theory which considers people’s inherent motivation (Deci & Ryan, 1985).
The theory suggests that individuals who are high in self-determination, will have increased self-belief and self-confidence. This creates more positive emotions and feelings of hope and optimism, which contribute to our well-being. Additionally, as our positive emotions and well-being increases, we become more able to develop solutions to complex problems. Our levels of hope and optimism increase our capacity to open our mind and broaden our pathway thinking. This should in turn bolster our ability to remain calm, confident and resilient.
Three constructs
Self-determination theory describes three constructs (autonomy, competency and relatedness), which together support the needs of an individual to become more motivated to grow and change. This motivation aids people in their adoption of behaviours, emotions and cognitions which may reflect being calm, confident and resilient.
Autonomy
Our ability to alter behaviours and maintain them for a longer period arises when we are autonomously motivated; where we are able to exercise our own choice or our own volition. The more autonomously-regulated an individual is toward a given behaviour, the greater effort, engagement, persistence, and stability the individual is likely to evidence in that behaviour (Ryan & Deci, 2000). And where this occurs, the greater the individual’s ability to be calm, confident and resilient.
So how do we find autonomy in a COVID-19 working environment? For most people, their new working environment is not one of personal choice. We have been asked to work at home. However, we can act autonomously within this new way of being.
Many of us will have autonomy or choice in how we create our working space within our home, how we embrace technology and empower ourselves in this new connected environment, and how we juggle our children’s home schooling, care-duties, shopping, and recreation with our work commitments.
We are required to complete our work autonomously in our new home working environment, in the absence of the close proximity and direction of our colleagues. Our physically isolated working environment creates the need for each of us to make choices as to how and when we work.
This autonomy and empowerment allows for goal-directed, self-regulated behaviours and increases our ability to act of our own volition.
We can also, as best as we can, make choices regarding our behaviours, emotions and cognitions. Choosing to focus on what is in our control, what is realistic in setting and achieving goals, what increases our stores of emotional and physical energy, and what gives us purpose and meaning in what we are doing, can support our intent to remain calm, confident and resilient.
Competency
When we are able to develop our competencies or apply our mastery, our self-belief and confidence is increased. The opportunity to build and utilise our skills promotes our own self-belief and self-confidence, as we are able to achieve desired outcomes.
How can this be achieved within a business in a COVID-10 environment?
The change of our physical work presence to a virtual one alters our connectivity. This heightens the need to more actively engage team members in ongoing work tasks. Perhaps even more so than ever, resist the temptation to simply do something yourself rather than delegate to your remotely located team member. Effective delegation and communication of work tasks and desired work objectives is very important in enabling team members to apply their skills. Drawing attention to the value and applicability of their competencies and skills is helpful in building perspectives which fit with the here and now. This increases a team member’s ability to feel capable of achieving desired outcomes through applying their competencies. And what follows is a sense of calm, confidence and increased resilience.
In addition, the expansion of remote working requires the development of new technological skills. At the very least we can master our understanding and use of technology and connectivity via new offerings such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other Apps. Their functionality can be expansive, and learning to use the in-built whiteboards, screen shares and virtual backgrounds can make the user more adept and flexible in meeting their outcomes. Virtual meetings can allow for the sharing of ideas, increased learning and innovation; all of which contribute to an individual’s competency.
Mastering this new way of working will come from being curious and creative and discovering a new way of applying our skills. Our ability to pivot and develop a digital offering which encompasses our subject matter expertise is time critical. Those who persevere and approach this with a growth mindset are more likely to find solutions to delivering goods and services in this new environment. This evolution will extend the competencies which we have, and will support our stance of being calm, confident and resilient.
Relatedness
When an individual has a sense of belonging or relatedness, they feel supported in their lives. They have social connections which bolster their self-worth and self-confidence. This can improve their emotive state and provide a sense of connectedness through meaningful relationships. Their social connectivity can foster their motivation and goal related behaviours.
In the new world of COVID-19 we are asking people to socially distance in order to flatten the COVID-19 curve. This raises questions as to how people can continue to have their sense of social connection. Social distancing should not be mistaken for reducing relatedness with others. In fact, it is more akin to physical distancing to ensure the spread of the virus is contained.
Now more than ever with the on-set of remote working, communities need to increase their sense of social connectivity. This can be achieved by
- Joining virtual team calls
- Using Facetime to see people you are speaking with
- Texting family, friend and colleagues to check-in on their wellbeing
- Joining a Community Facebook group to connect with others living nearby, and hear of Community news
- Using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype and other work-related tools to share ideas and conversations
- Having social events and celebrations such as birthdays, virtual drinks, virtual morning teas diarised to ensure you don’t overlook making time to connect.
Some of the important conversations to have relate to individual’s well-being and their response to their new way of being. Ask people how they are and respond with empathy. Different people will experience different emotions during change. Their ability to express them, and consider strategies to attend to more challenging emotions, is furthered when they are provided with an empathetic ear and feel that they are understood. This also assists them with regaining their perspective and shaping it to suit the new work environment which COVID-19 has delivered.
Working from home has stripped back many of the layers which we metaphorically wear in the workplace. We are now inviting people into our personal space, hosting video calls from the sanctuary of our homes. In doing so we have become more vulnerable and open to sharing with others.
Many of our work-life challenges are similar to those experienced by our colleagues, clients and customers. It may be the loneliness which creeps up on us in the quiet of our workspace, or the depletion of energy for those extroverts who are at their best when surrounded by others. We may encounter unexpected visitors into our video meetings; children, pets, well-meaning parents searching for laundry. Our internet may play up and drop us out or freeze us leaving us on the screen in awkward shots with half opened eyes.
Whatever these challenges, we are all much more forgiving and understanding of each other than we have ever been before. Our levels of trust and relationships are deepening as we extend some caring words which show that we understand. Things are different right now and we are all just trying to do our best.
There’s a sense that we are all in this together. An increase in benevolence. We are teaming together to find solutions. Collaborating in more timely and responsive ways. And this provides us with a greater sense of calm, confidence and resilience.
Conclusion
So let me bring you back to my anchor. The current way of being is unpredictable and changing rapidly and businesses are working swiftly to respond. Social and economic changes are occurring almost daily creating a new playing field for regular assessment. Our way of working has altered dramatically and unexpectantly with the waves of COVID-19.
Yet in many cases we are still able to act with autonomy, competency and relatedness. And in so doing we are able to build our self-confidence and self-belief. This provides for improved decision making, problem solving and goal attainment; important processes which can support businesses in their quest to remain calm, confident and resilient.
References
Deci EL, Ryan RM. (1985) Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum Publishing Co.
Deutsch, R (2020) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richarddeutschau_coronavirus-to-catalyse-the-uptake-of-new-activity-6645823572990402561-uG1X
Ryan RM, Deci EL. (2000) Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist. 55:68–78