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COVID-19 Black Swan

By Madison Hanscom, Ph.D.It is the responsibility of leaders to demonstrate how to act during times of uncertainty. At its core, walking the talk involves leaders acting in ways that align with their stated values and the stated values of the company. When a leader practices what they preach, this builds trust among followers, which is the belief that leaders will act in their best interest. This in turn helps create improved safety culture, morale, and safety outcomes. Although employees always look to leaders as role models, this is particularly important during times of crisis. During difficult moments like the

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By Josh Williams, Ph.D.For years, organizations have used IQ tests as a selection component for hiring new leaders. Psychologists have studied leader emergence for centuries and found IQ to be near the top of the list for predictive traits. This should be no surprise. Strong analytical skills are needed to deal with a numerous, competing challenges at higher organizational levels. However, many believe EQ, or emotional intelligence, may be equally important. In fact, one study showed 71% of executives value EQ over IQ with their leaders (https://www.careerbuilder.ca). Emotional intelligence reflects our ability to recognize our own emotions, and those of others, and

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By KyoungHee Choi During these uncertain times, it’s not unusual for leaders to experience high levels of pressure and stress. I want to share a simple art therapy exercise that can help you reduce your stress and anxiety as you improve your mindfulness and focus. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst described MANDALA art therapy as “a representation of the unconscious self.” So, what is MANDALA art therapy and how can we use it?  What is MANDALA art therapy?  MANDALA art therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which a trained art therapist guides a person through coloring processes using geometric patterns in an

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By Madison Hanscom, Ph.D. When faced with a crisis, it is up to leaders to lay out and live the vision for employees. Where you place emphasis will demonstrate what the company values during a time of uncertainty. Building and living the vision means painting a picture for employees of desired performance and including organizational values in everyday interactions. Think about what you want employees to come away with during a time of hardship and what you want this message to be: Struggle or resiliency? Panic or preparedness? Leaders play a central role in rallying employees around a common purpose or

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By Eric Michrowski With the first phase of the response to COVID-19 behind us, we are beginning to adjust to a new normal. But it’s now critical to start thinking of risk layering. The concept of risk layering is the effect of one risk piled onto another. In business, it’s typically risk layering that causes the most critical business failures. While it might seem alarmist to think that something else could happen at this stage, it’s always better to think through the most critical steps that would keep our businesses and employees safe. Most Business Continuity Plans that I have seen are

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By Eric Michrowski In my prior blog (Now Is the Time to Update Your Business Continuity Plans), I talked about the importance of thinking through Risk Layering and updating Business Continuity Plans. As the first phase of the response to COVID-19 is starting to be behind us, it’s becoming essential for leaders to focus briefly on their Business Continuity Plans. The second thing that is essential once you have stabilized your operations, is to start capturing learnings from your initial response. That way you don’t forget what has worked and what challenges occurred. This will help you be better prepared for

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