Initially, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many company leaders to respond with operating plans to keep their employees and customers safe.

Some businesses were forced to close; others adapted to modified product lines or services; many continued to operate with short-term plans to work remotely.

As the pandemic persists, working off-site longer than expected will be necessary to keep people safe while still operating the business. Modified product lines or services might become permanent, and the businesses that have closed could never come back.

Leadership Tip
Proactively prepare for a longer-than-expected disruption caused by the pandemic.

Here are 5 sets of questions every leadership team should be asking:

• Looking back, what “silver linings” have we benefited from since the beginning of March?

How do they help us move forward?

• To help employees get through this challenging time, what is one thing we’re not doing today that we should be doing?

What will we do to make that one thing happen?

• How will continuing to have a segment of our employees work off-site change our culture?

How should we respond to those changes?

• Looking ahead, what is our biggest fear?

What is one action we will take to minimize that fear?

• If you had a magic wand, what one action would you initiate between now and the end of the year to become a better organization?

What will we do to make that one thing happen?

As you identify actions to take immediately or later in the year, continue to monitor the situation. Then keep challenging yourself and your team with these and other thought-provoking questions.

We will get through this. More than that, we will be stronger when we plan and prepare.