VGL Forum

30 June 2020 | VGL Forum

In a recent Virtual VGL Forum on the psychology of the post-pandemic return to work, our featured speaker Dr. Coline Covington, a corporate mentor, psychotherapist and author, shared her insights on how leaders have been dealing with the post-pandemic climate and how they can approach it in a more effective way. 

A conversation with Dr. Coline Covington

1. (06:16) Since we are now in the ‘managing mode’ of mitigation, what are you witnessing that is different in the waves of anxieties felt in this current crisis compared to past global crises?
2. (11:49) What do the employees who are returning to work expect in a leader? Commander style? A leader who will consult them on a daily basis? What should we look for in business leaders to try to prepare for the situation?
3. (15:33) How do we get our employees to open up and talk about their anxieties?
4. (18:13) Will these changes (physical changes, social distancing, home office / physical office mixture) add to existing anxieties and cause a negative impact on work productivity? Or will the respect for safety and security on employees motivate them?
5. (21:53) Do we build trust differently in online meetings vs. face-to-face meetings? What do we lose?
6. (24:30) Since many of us feel a sense of grief/loss for various reasons, how do we deal with such feelings during this period?
7. (25:57) How can leaders show vulnerability and still maintain the ‘commander-style’ leadership?
8. (27:33) What do you suggest to employees who are facing a leader who wants to go back to pre-pandemic practices?
9. (29:20) What will the effect of the necessary changing social norms be on motivation at work?
10. (32:20) Do we as a society have the capacity to deal with the apparent ‘pandemic of anxiety’?
11. (33:55) What is your boldest hope for the post-pandemic work landscape?

VGL Forum

Join the free, virtual and interactive VGL Forum with leading experts to discuss leadership issues, share solutions, and enhance leadership skills. Take me there!