–Published on April 20, 2020 on LinkedIn and recommended by Financial Insight contributor Philimon Lukwesa
The International Monetary Fund (“IMF”) predicts that the global economy will shrink by 3% in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic with some key sectors of the African economies already slowing down.
In South Africa, Moody’s downgrade of the country’s sovereign rating to ‘junk status’ is expected to only deepen the economic woes that already plague the country and fundamentally affect almost all business sectors. With tough days ahead, African- C suite executives must rethink their operating models and employees, in the face of job uncertainty, and adjusted workplace practices, need to define their new normal in extraordinary times.
In these unprecedented times, reliance on traditional tenets of change management systems and processes for business continuity will not be enough to help an organisation successfully navigate through this crisis. The true test of leadership will not only be how leaders ensure business continuity but how they inspire staff to embrace the disruption and identify agile post-crisis workflows and practices.
In times of high anxiety and stress (especially when the cause of the crisis is outside of the area of their expertise) employee expectations become disrupted as they enter a protective state of mind. This ‘fight, flight or freeze” mode can have a severe impact on performance triggering dysfunctional behaviours such as attrition, absenteeism and even violence in some instances. To shorten the extent of the disruption, leaders will need to;
1. Adopt a learning mindset especially when encountering resistance. Instead of becoming defensive and fixed in the face of a changing landscape, capitalise on opportunities to listen with empathy and adjust the game plan as new facts emerge.
2. Create room for people to rumble with their own vulnerabilities. Be intentional about scheduling regular check -ins and be present, The more data points at your disposal the more responsive and sustainable your execution plans will be.
3. Timeously communicate and keep colleagues informed, engaged and safe. Effective communications plans engage people in the right way, at the right time, with the right information.
4. Empower your team by giving them the tools to find solutions. When you direct, you give people the WHAT and WHY behind decisions. By enabling colleagues with the relevant tools, they will formulate and translate the HOW into practical solutions.
5. Integrate teams by providing consistent information that plainly articulates the priorities, roles and responsibilities. When everybody knows who’s doing what, it’s easier to timeously mobilise the right resources when challenges arise.
The interplay of the above principles is fundamental to any journey of change. However the exact cocktail of tools necessary for sustainable transformation must always be driven by the ground experience of the company. As the true social and economic devastation of Covid-19 unfolds, African C-suite executives have a golden opportunity to be class leaders and lead with vision, boldness and empathy. It’s not only WHAT they do that counts – How they do it is equally significant, and in times of crises it is even more important to get it right.
There have been winners and losers in the continent for growth minded companies, however trailblazers such as the late Bob Collymore of the Kenyan mobile network Safaricom continue to inspire. By driving transformational technological change, Bob Collymore steered Safaricom to becoming one of Africa’s most profitable businesses during tough economic conditions. In his study “Strategic change management practices and challenges at Safaricom”, Peter N Muema, notably observes that strategic change management is recognised and celebrated in Safaricom. Excellent communication and supportive leadership, according to the study, are other key levers that have been successfully used to reinforce and sustain changes within the organisation.
A rare opportunity exists for African leaders to be discerning, imaginative, and bold in shaping the workforce of the future. The true test of leadership will be in building resilient organisations that excel in the good times, the OK, and the bad times post the Covid-19 years. It’s going to take grit, bold leadership and we must not waste this crisis.
Mamphela Hlatshwayo is a Behaviour Change Management Consultant with vast experience working with various South African and pan-African organisations implementing large scale transformational projects.