February, March and April are hard times. Most people would identify hard times with economic matters: recessions are hard times; high unemployment and tight credit make for hard times; high interest rates or burdensome taxation, uncertainty about the economy and instability in energy supplies constitute hard times. All of this is true enough. But year in and year out the late winter and early weeks of spring are a hard time due to weather.
People all over our country every year go through the same weather cycle: a time of instability, violence, danger and damage from weather events. The blizzards are ferocious. The twisters are intense. Mountain winds can rage at one hundred miles an hour. Grass fires are a huge danger. Flooding is always an imminent danger. Because these weather events are so dramatic they become news. Nearly every day we see one or more weather disasters going on somewhere. High water, high snow drifts, demolished buildings, homeless survivors,devastation as far as the eye of the camera can see. Often enough the footage is accompanied with blood-curdling forecasts and warnings.
Human beings react to economic news with a certain amount of worry. But let the wind blow out a window in their home and their distress becomes much more intense, instantly! It is one thing to be told that the economy might crater but quite another to be told the neighborhood will be under six feet of water by this evening!
It just so happens that in this year, 2008, the hard times brought on by the weather in the changing of Winter to Spring happen to coincide with a great deal of economic uncertainty and with the political chaos of a presidential election year. Uncertainty makes for hard times. This year the uncertainty is three times over: weather, economy and the political order. Now THAT'S hard times! Uncertainty reminds us of our frailty and vulnerability. We cannot protect against everything. We cannot even know for sure what events will happen, only that there is a certainty of change and a possibility that dangerous events will happen. It is difficult to feel safe and secure with uncertainty! In fact, it is impossible. So what does this mean for you, the small business manager?
Leadership means more than just managing the business part of the business. The difference between just managing and leading comes into play immediately when there are hard times. Just managing would be to ignore the stress and worry of the people around you: workers, volunteers, customers, vendors, associates and colleagues. It would be business as usual, nobody bother me unless a funnel cloud is coming directly at our building. Just managing has many variations besides ignoring the weather as it impacts people in your life. It basically means ignoring everything happening in the lives of your people such as family crises, illness, financial problems or medical conditions. The message is always the same: "I care about the work you do and the business at hand. Do not bother me with anything else, it's not my problem."
The manager who leads, by way of contrast, lets it be known in word and deed that all of the people involved do matter. It truly is possible to listen and be supportive while also managing the business. Being supportive will involve adjusting schedules, vacations and leave time. It will mean going to bat for health benefits. It sometimes means attending a funeral or sending a condolence card. It doesn't mean you become a social workers, minister or priest. You are still the boss and your workers and vendors and customers are still that. But they are also real people, just like you. Leadership means acknowledging the people side of yourself and your people.
The natural starting point for this aspect of leadership is to LISTEN and let people know you are listening. How much easier could it be than to listen for five or ten minutes when the hard time of the year is upon us? Just sit down with a cup of coffee and presto, those around you will begin talking about the weather, the economy and politics - and themselves.
Without necessarily saying a single word, the message from you will be loud and clear: I care and you matter.
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