Remember that grief that you and your employees felt at the beginning of the pandemic, when everything was turned upside down so suddenly? 

While the pandemic initially (and continues to) bring many moments of grief, for others it has also brought a lot of monotony, boredom, low motivation, and lack of focus

THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP

With millions of Americans getting vaccinated every day and new infections slowing, the end of the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be getting closer. But with so much still uncertain — when can people safely travel again? When will I need to go back to the office? Will cases ever fully disappear? — it can be a struggle to actually feel hopeful for the coming months.

"Languishing is the neglected middle child of mental health," Adam Grant recently wrote in this New York Times article. "It's the void between depression and flourishing — the absence of well-being. You don't have symptoms of mental illness, but you're not the picture of mental health either. You're not functioning at full capacity.”

Feeling kind of meh about what’s next? Yup. That’s languishing. A new phase of grief that many are experiencing as a long-haul of the pandemic. 

THE WEEKLY FLOURISH

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So what do you do if you or your employees are experiencing this aimless, joyless state? Grant offers several suggestions for getting out of the languishing rut. The first, being to recognize the feeling. "Instead of saying 'Great!' or 'Fine,' imagine if we answered, 'Honestly, I'm languishing,' " he suggests. 

And we couldn’t agree more. One of the hallmarks of a successful re-entry effort is going to be giving your employees permission to be human. As a leader, don’t fear mixed emotion. Expect it, and prepare to create an environment that encourages a heightened sense of communication and involvement. 

Here are a few tips for providing that type of support for your team: 

•  Keep them fully informed about what's going on.

•  Handle the range of emotions with sensitivity and care.

• Remember it takes time to accept the new way of working.

•  Celebrate their success...what's recognized gets repeated!

Now is the time to reassure people that it's normal to have ups and downs as they enter a new phase. Listen with empathy. Ask if they have specific concerns and help them resolve those concerns wherever possible. 

GREATNESS TAKES GUIDANCE

Are you a manager looking for guidance on how to make re-entry as smooth as possible for yourself and your team? We’ve dedicated an entire portion of our Activate program to making sure you have the tools to reinvigorate purpose as we move into this new phase and help give yourself and others tools to voice to emotions that matter most. 

— Carrie & Team Leadology!