“It is time for procurement to step up and lead.”
It is safe to say that we currently find ourselves in unprecedented times. Some of us will be impacted by the spread of the coronavirus more than others, but the likelihood is that it will affect all of us in some way.
At Art of Procurement, we are going to be at your side for the duration, helping you prepare for the ‘unknown unknowns’ with practical advice on how you can mitigate the worst of the impact and turn your response into a competitive advantage.
To that end, we arranged for a short-turnaround Sunday morning podcast recording with Jan Griffiths. As the former CPO of a tier-1 automotive manufacturer, now the Founder and President of leadership coaching consultancy Gravitas Detroit, Jan has weathered her fair share of crisis and uncertainty. She has come through all of it strengthened and determined to succeed, and she shares her insights with us about how we can do the same.
In this conversation, Jan provides Host Philip Ideson with her recommendations for:
- [7:59] Getting your head in the right place so you and your team can work through the crisis together, and with a healthy mindset. Times like these bring out our most authentic leadership skills, and they can provide us with some of the most rewarding professional experiences of our careers.
- [12:54] The practicalities of leading in a crisis. Jan recommends acknowledging the realities and validating the feelings and emotions of your team – but then moving on and staying focused on the end game.
- [21:38] How to manage a remote team. Making the extra effort to manage a team not used to working remotely requires deeper connections, constant communication, and consistency. Video conferences are key because they facilitate the connections (including informal interpersonal time) that are so essential to the effectiveness of our working relationships.
- [31:47] Ensuring your personal health. With all of the other changes we are experiencing, we should not underestimate the impact of changes in our routines on our physical and mental well-being. A new routine may be required, but put a schedule in place – one that includes exercise and meditation/quiet time with your thoughts. After all, despite the current crisis, we still have a lot to be grateful for.
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