Tolerance is a team sport, one where empathy wins

From health risks to economic instability to school closures to you name it — the pandemic has put unprecedented stress on workers’ lives. As a leader, it’s up to you to perform in a way that best supports your team during tough times.

Team tolerance is a high-level leadership style grounded in flexibility and empathy. With team tolerance, leaders and teams are more understanding of changes that are outside of their control. As long as everyone is doing their best, there is plenty of room to make adjustments and ease everyone’s pain.

Leaders can be more flexible.

When you’re more flexible, you raise your employee’s energy level, making them more confident and less worried at work.

Remember why you hired your employees. They may be struggling right now, but it doesn’t mean they will forever, and you can help them weather the temporary storm. And when the hard times have passed, the latitude that was given will be remembered.

☝ Your words have weight. As a leader, it’s important

to remember that what you say (and how you say it)

can inspire or impede productivity.

Employees can be more aware.

Sometimes we can forget that leaders are people, too. Just because they’re “the boss” doesn’t mean they don’t struggle. They’re learning to live in this new normal just as much as anyone else and can use their team’s support.

Remind yourself why you joined this company in the first place. Rise to the occasion and try to perform at your best, even if it’s hard to do so. Your leader and team are counting on you to help them through these times, too.

💡 What can you learn from this? Hard times foster 

     innovation, so keep track of the processes you 

     created to make it through. You’ll come away with a 

     formula for how to succeed when similar

     circumstances happen in the future.

Leaders and employees can empower each other.

Above all, remember why you’re here.

Leaders need to focus on the organization’s mission and vision during these times and give employees a north star. There’s a reason your business exists, and everyone has to roll up their sleeves — and foster tolerant teams — to make it out on the other side. 

And remember, great leaders are made, not born.

No matter where you are on your leadership journey, there’s always room to improve your style and take your skills to another level. Team tolerance is Level 4 leadership — if you don’t know what kind of leader you are, our coaches can help you find out and give you the tools to raise your leadership energy.

Cover photo by Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash