Lessons Learned by Sanjay Devudu, Senior Leader
Once the emotional concerns of our own teams were addressed, it was important to keep people engaged in supporting the organization during this difficult time. What actions could we, as learning leaders, take to help tide over the situation? It was also important that we look beyond our own unit/function and consider the bigger picture.
Our key lessons included
Communicate, communicate, and communicate some more!
- Deal with emotions first, business issues next.
- Don’t miss the larger picture.
- Make the necessary tough decisions; let there be no hesitation in doing so.
- Help other leaders who need the support to tide over the situation.
- Take care of yourself and one another.
- Be tuned in to the world around you.
All learning professionals need to take on the additional role of brand ambassador. The internal and external brand will most likely be severely damaged. They need to understand how to interact with the media, how to respond to internal queries, and, most important of all, how to remain calm in the face of uncertainty. During our first meeting after the news broke, a learning professional asked, “If we are to take care of everyone else, who will take care of us?” We responded, “We must take care of each other.” This is accomplished through daily updates, regular meetings, informal gatherings at the coffee station, and frequent impromptu celebrations of even the smallest successes.
