We’re headed for a long, wonky, isolated winter… Are you and your company ready?

As leaders of companies, families, and our own lives, I think about how we’re going to make it through days and months ahead with less sunlight, more time indoors, cranky kids trying to learn from home, isolation from coworkers and friends, more alcohol than usual, more food than usual, and poorer sleep than usual. And then there’s this election and the unprecedented unknowns it still presents.

Add to this list the thoughts of an alleged asteroid headed our way, murderous insects, and the hard realities of racial and gender inequities, wildfires, disrupted food supply chains, and all of this potentially leading to mass starvation, civil war, and other game-over scenarios. In the words of Charlie Brown, “AAUGH!”.

I see my own rabbit holes of worry. Whether I decide to re-focus my thoughts, or go down the holes and thrash around a bit before coming out on the other side, I have to remember one thing: this is all happening for a reason.

All of it. By that I mean we can learn and grow from everything that happens (or sometimes doesn’t happen). In my personal, non-dogmatic, and most definitely undisciplined belief system, every really messed up thing that’s ever happened in my life has somehow, in some way, made things better for me. And it’s eventually made me a better, kinder, more joyful, and alive person.

It’s taken a lot of introspection, learning, meditation, courage, tears, conversation, and occasionally a few glasses of Prosecco to get there. I had to come to terms with my fears by exploring them and letting them show me what I’m meant to learn from them.

During this pandemic (and understandably so), most of us seem to be experiencing some level of fear. Much of it centers around the unknown — a subject in which I am now, after more than ten years of living through a roller coaster marriage and divorce, a real expert.

For me, becoming comfortable with the unknown was like getting my driver’s license and experiencing real freedom for the first time, cruising down the open road toward my next adventure.

Well, it was real freedom as long as I had my mom’s car back by 10 pm.

But how to do this life-shifting work of letting go of control and getting comfortable with a new, unknown reality when almost all of us are in some type of survival mode?

Dr. Maslow would likely say this is not a very good time to address our deep, most fulfilling development when our more fundamental needs of safety and security are under threat. I am not a medical or mental health professional, but as a business leader and coach, I would respectfully disagree.

This “great pause” can be viewed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to seriously slow down, take a deep breath, and do the often long overdue job of looking under the hood to see how we really move through this world, and how fear and uncertainty keep us from accomplishing our most challenging and meaningful goals.

I hear this from guys A LOT: they are afraid to take a hard look at themselves to see what’s really going on under the hood. I hear it from women as well. I’m guilty of it at times too. But if we’re riding in a car that’s overheating or the warning lights come on, don’t we pull over and find out why? Then do something about it?

Why are we so reluctant to do this for ourselves when we’re struggling to stay engaged, focused, or generally content? Continue driving on a flat tire long enough and the whole wheel will come off. Keep pretending everything is fine in work and in life when it really isn’t, and all the things you’re too afraid to look at will find a way to get your attention whether you want it to or not.

Right now, most of us are not working as well as we normally do. The pandemic is having a profound impact on what we’re experiencing mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Nearly seven in ten workers report the coronavirus pandemic is the most stressful time of their professional career according to mental health provider Ginger. A recent Headspace report reveals about 42% of workers have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety, and the same percentage feel “burned out”. When we have things going on that are putting our wellbeing at risk, it’s an invitation to pull over, pop the hood, and have a look.

I’m a car person. I love Formula 1 and the art of racing. But I’m not a mechanic. Yet I know that when a tire needs to be changed, I have some options: Google how to change it myself or call the auto club to have it repaired or replaced. When we’re struggling with our own wellbeing, we also have lots of options.

Some wellbeing practices we can do on our own. Others require the help of experts who, while they can’t “fix” us, can help us learn how we can do things differently and repair any damage we might have caused along the way. They may even help us perform better and feel better than we have before. This is important because when people are stressed and overwhelmed, the implications can be far-reaching.

Companies, like cars, can’t do what they’re here to do when their most valuable parts aren’t working well.

Pandemic-related stress is impacting not only employees but employers as well. According to the Ginger survey, 88% of workers reported experiencing moderate to extreme stress. Among them, 62% noted losing at least one hour a day in productivity, and 32% lost at least two hours a day due to COVID-related stress.

When people are less engaged, their productivity and retention levels plummet. Gallup tracking found the most significant drop in employee engagement they have ever recorded. They report that over 50% of workers are “not engaged” and typically show up to work and contribute the minimum effort required.

Given that it takes about two disengaged employees to equal the productivity of one engaged employee, this is a huge hit for companies. The Gallup report goes on to speak volumes about what this means for retention: disengaged employees are also on the lookout for better employment opportunities, and they will quickly leave their companies for even a slightly better offer.

Companies need their most valuable parts to be working like a finely-tuned Ferrari. Ferraris, I might add, require nearly constant tuning to run their best. So do people. Yet, how are we as leaders supporting our most valuable parts, who right now are largely out of alignment and wearing out faster than designed to? How are we doing this for ourselves?

As humans, what are the barriers to finely tuning ourselves as much as we need to, so we can feel our best and do our most engaged work?

While I don’t have all the answers, our team of business consultants has been collaborating with wellbeing professionals for nearly a decade to help people make small changes that create big differences in how they feel, so they can do their greatest work in the world. We help clients face fears and the unknown from a foundation of purpose and solid business fundamentals. And we’ve noticed a few things about people along the way:

1. People often don’t ask for help. Let’s face it, most of us are crummy at asking for help. We might worry that wanting help makes us appear weak, incapable, or simply needy. And that makes us feel even more helpless. But here’s the thing: as humans, we’re not built to do everything ourselves. If we don’t ask for help when we need it and others are negatively impacted as a result, we look bad anyway. Our fear of asking for help becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

2. To ask for help is to admit we’re defective — or so the story that we tell ourselves goes. Is a Ferrari defective because its timing chain needs adjusting? Uh no, it’s a Ferrari. They are amazing machines that need tuning and attention to run well. Likewise, we humans are also beautiful, amazing, flawed, and need to be cared for. Sometimes that involves a therapist or business consultant. At other times, a lovely cappuccino or glass of Chianti.

3. We pretend nothing is wrong. We pretend nothing is wrong when we drink the whole bottle of Chianti instead of a glass. Or when we feel anxious. Or are screaming at our kids/spouse/team members. When we feel like shit, make no mistake, something is trying to get our attention. It doesn’t mean anything is “wrong”. It’s our inner GPS telling us something is off track. When we feel bad, it’s an invitation to do things differently, not to escape our reality to avoid the pain of the concrete wall when we hit it.

4. We don’t have access to resources or don’t know where to find them. Few of us have access to Scuderia Ferrari’s team of the best mechanics in the world, working in clean room-type environments to keep the race car performing at its peak. While outside experts can be highly useful to our inner development and even crucial to our wellbeing at times, there are lots of ways to keep the machine running well — many of which are free, such as mediation, spending time in nature, or journaling.

5. We’re scared. We’re afraid of what we’ll find when we look under the hood. We might not like it. The engine might be messed up and broken beyond repair. Or we think we simply are the way we are. The thing is, all of that is true whether we look or not. But by looking inside ourselves, we can start to assess the situation, and make repairs and improvements. The “way we are” is a great starting point for growing into what we can become.

6. We don’t think we have time. With all of the pressures and stresses that go with living in 2020, who has time for this stuff? Well, the short answer is there’s never enough time for everything we want. But most of us seem to find time for the things that really matter. There are so many practices that take only moments each day to make a huge difference: journaling, mindfulness, exercise, movement. And it only takes one practice to start shifting how we feel and think.

7. We think it will go away on its own. Like the engine whine that keeps getting louder and louder until the gasket blows, many problems in our lives will get worse, not better by ignoring them. Sure, you can walk away from some without a second thought. But for problems that persist or show up in different forms, often they keep getting worse until you can’t ignore them anymore. Finding solutions for real problems not only prevents disasters, but it also clears up mental and emotional bandwidth so you can focus your attention on other things.

So what can we as leaders do to keep things running smoothly on a new and unfamiliar track?

General Maintenance. And as a leader, you set the tone. If you’re not tuned and running your best race under the circumstances, those around you likely won’t either. I’m not talking about wholesale changes like becoming vegetarian overnight or training for a marathon (unless those things bring you enormous joy). Small shifts can make a big difference in your body, mind, and sense of confidence: drink eight glasses of water a day, go to bed around the same time, get about eight hours of sleep, savor one cup of coffee per day with food (if at all), move your body each day, and — I know this might be a tough one right now for many of us right now — limit alcohol to one glass per day. And don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t. Even making just one of these shifts can change your sense of wellbeing.

Care. Care for each of your organization’s most valuable parts. Great leaders like Richard Branson and Arthur M. Blank are known to put people first and empower them to do their best work. If people seem tired, stressed, or are behind on deadlines, these are signs they may not have what they need to perform the way they’d like. As a leader, you can make sure team members are getting what they need to do their best work, especially under pressure. Ask questions and be a trusted source of support (or connect them with someone who is) so your most valuable assets can function well.

Purpose. What are you and your company really here to accomplish? Ok, the competitor might be ahead or far fewer spectators may be showing up to watch the race, but it doesn’t mean you’ve lost. And it doesn’t necessarily mean we should push harder on a car that’s falling behind. It’s an invitation to embrace what inspires you and do something different. For example, when Steve Jobs returned to an ailing Apple in 1996, he shook up the organization and brought it back to its roots of challenging the status quo, creating beautiful and user-friendly design, and making great machines. By letting purpose drive decisions, Apple became a trillion-dollar company by 2018.

Celebration. Celebrate the wins as well as the small victories. Overtaking another driver on a turn and moving up a spot in the standings may not seem like much. But it can be crucial to a season victory in the long run. People thrive on feeling appreciated, knowing their work matters, and being recognized in a way others can see. It not only shows everyone the company genuinely appreciates its employees, but it also helps create a culture around the qualities or actions the company values. At a time when we’re inundated by so much bad news, celebrating accomplishments is even more important because showing gratitude and recognizing the small things leads to greater productivity, performance, and engagement. It’s important to celebrate your own victories too.

Acceptance. Living in the world as it is, instead of the world as we want it to be is in many ways crucial to health and wellbeing. Radically accepting “what is” lets us re-orient ourselves to our goals, set a new course, and look for new opportunities along the way. Former Vice Presidential candidate James Stockdale, a Vietnam prisoner of war, famously said: “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” We can also move through the stages of grief over the way our lives used to be, and come to terms with what we have to work with now.

Embracing the unknown. Enjoy the adventure of seeing where this new, unexpected road we’re on takes us and how we want to drive it. It’s a long race, we’re still in it, and we’ll get to know the territory better as we go. If this year has shown us anything, it’s that life truly is unpredictable. One of the potential pitfalls of many planning and strategy practices is that they rely heavily on past data and predictions for the future — neither of which may be relevant in real time. When guided by your “why”, you can adjust to circumstances as they unfold, see the hidden opportunities in the passing landscape, align with data, and chart a new course to your destination without losing your way.

Getting Help. If you or a team member is struggling with depression, reach out to a mental health professional right away. Even if we’re leaking oil all over the track from a blown engine, with some work and TLC we can race another day. Many businesses are looking at total failure right now, despite their best planning. Some of us are finding that a planned career path is no longer feasible or doesn’t fit the new reality. By seeking out broader perspectives, you can truly understand the details of the situation, craft a vision for what you’d most like to see next, innovate solutions to get there, and uncover opportunities you haven’t focused on or may not have known about before.

These times are hard for people and organizations everywhere. Leaders need to step up in new ways to meet the challenges and unknowns of a decade being kicked off by social, economic, environmental, and health catastrophes we perhaps saw coming, but maybe didn’t want to see coming quite so fast. But here we are. And with a bit of tuning and adjustment, we just might be in for an amazing ride.

“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”

- Dolly Parton

“Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.”

- David Bowie

Join our live, three-part virtual salon series “Surviving this Long, Wonky Winter Ahead” starting Wednesday, October 21. Please visit www.piazza5.com/reboot to register at no cost.