Hi, everyone, 

For all of you beautiful people who attended Coffee with Carrie back in April, you know that I’m a huge fan of the resources, tools, and frameworks published by Canvas8 designed to help you and your team follow and adapt to the twists and turns of the global pandemic crisis. 

Most recently, Canvas8 released the False Dawn Playbook. Inside their in-depth report, which summarizes five months of research and over 50 expert interviews, one uncomfortable reality stood out above the rest: The fact that despite patience wearing thin for COVID-19, the truth still remains that an effective vaccine is a long way away – likely 2021. 

This harsh dose of reality also means that our expectations, fears, and limits for positive thinking will only continue to be stretched in unimaginable ways until COVID-19 has truly been eradicated. 

So until then, the question becomes: As leaders, what can we do? How can we best support our teams and navigate this strange waiting period?

THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP

As we continue to inhabit this extended period of adjustment, leaders are under pressure to respond on various fronts, from meeting their bottom line to remaining empathetic to employees. And yet, disruptive experiences can also provide opportunities for growth. This isn’t some hope trope, it’s about recognizing that as spirits weaken, leaders must increasingly put their attention towards building resilience and keeping their teams engaged and stimulated through curiosity and opportunity.

THE WEEKLY FLOURISH

Article (5 Minutes) 

6 Ways a Crisis Can Cultivate a Growth Mindset

According to this Harvard Business Review Article, major upheavals can be a defining moment to stop and think about how things might work better than they did before. Though it isn’t easy, embracing an expansive growth mindset for yourself and your team will allow you to better coordinate, innovate, and own the future as we all continue to weather this time. This means continuing to ask for regular feedback, demonstrating a willingness to learn, and embracing a co-creation of process improvement in order to not only build psychological safety but reinvigorate yourself and your team. 

GREATNESS TAKES GUIDANCE

For those managers looking to leverage this transition and nurture a growth mindset in themselves and their direct reports, be sure to check out the next round of Activate.  While it’s nice to talk about growth mindset in theory, this program is specifically designed to offer immediate, measurable exercises and frameworks that you’ll have in your manager toolbox both now and in the future. This means continuing to ask for regular feedback, demonstrating a willingness to learn, encouraging divergent thinking, and embracing a co-creation of process improvement in order to not only build psychological safety but reinvigorate yourself and your team.

To refilling your inspiration tank, 

-- Carrie and Team Leadology