Tauber Industry Advisory Board member and CPP Global CEO Brian Tauber shares his tactical response to the life and death challenge of COVID-19.

It's War: Leadership in a Pandemic

Leading a company in this COVID-19 Pandemic has no precedent. There is no guide to follow. There are no books on the subject. There is no script from which to read. 

I am not an academic who has studied crisis management nor an author who has written a book on the topic. I am not a consultant who advises others. I am good student of experience, though. 

I am the owner and CEO of a manufacturing company that employs 560 people globally, 215 of which work in two facilities in North Carolina. Having navigated my share of existential business challenges over the years, NONE compare to the life and death decisions associated with the determination of whether to continue operations in this potentially lethal environment. We are confronting choices that demand tactical expertise and a leadership approach that can spell the difference between success and failure, life and death. Unlike many business decisions, particularly when visionary thinking is critical to the future of an organization, today’s environment is not purely economic or financial. Not when people’s lives are at stake. In no greater circumstance does the buck stop here. I am the owner. I am the CEO. The decisions on operating and how to proceed are mine and mine alone. 

Some Presidents are better wartime tacticians than peacetime visionaries. The skills vary significantly between the two. Only recently have I recognized that my experiences and personal attributes make me better suited for the former than the latter. This realization makes me a better leader, knowing what situations I can impact more successfully relative to areas where I need support. 

Our employees are scared. They fear for their lives and the health of their families. Rightfully, they are not going to risk either for the company. There has been many a time where I feared for the survival of my company. Today, add employee safety and retention to the list. What I’ve learned I am applying to today’s complex circumstances. It is my greatest challenge to date. Hopefully, the lessons I have learned can help others navigate these times of peril: 

1. Communicate

a. Personally – I am 2,000 miles from the plants and only allowing people essential to operations into the facilities (which I am not). To connect as best as possible under the circumstances, I make videos so every employee will hear messages directly from my mouth, can see my eyes and hear my tone. As I do not speak Spanish, the videos have subtitles.
b. Frequently – I am doing so every several days via a text to all employees with a link to the video.
c. About Them – The employees are scared for their safety, their paychecks and their healthcare. Everything else pales in comparison. My messages address their concerns, not extraneous topics about the company or my efforts. They don’t care.
d. Honestly/Transparently/Substantively – Don’t BS. People are too smart and deserve the truth, even when it is not what they want to hear. As long as I provide meaningful information that is justified to achieve the stated priorities (see below), people will react positively knowing that they are being respected.
e. Empathetically – No matter how I feel or the occasional negative reactions I get, it is critical that I ALWAYS see it from their perspective and demonstrate through words and actions that I am supporting them. They’re the ones in the plant, not me. 

2. Set and Communicate Priorities. Repeat.

a. Meaningful – At the outset, let everyone know the bases on which decisions are being made. For us, the priorities were and continue to be:

i. The safety of our employees and their families
ii. The continuation of compensation and health benefits
iii. The strength of the company so that we have jobs into the future

b. Consistent – In most every video or other communication, I repeat these priorities and use them to frame my message to assure them that I remain focused.

3. Establish a Crisis Team – The Leadership Team meets frequently to address any and all issues associated with this dynamic crisis, from evolving safety protocols, to reactions to infections, to ensuring that they and their reports working from home are mentally well. Each meeting has a list of action items to review with owners and dates. Accountability is key in times of crisis. This Team is not a democratic committee. It has a leader, and it is the owner/CEO.

4. Maintain Optimism and Create Urgency – Leadership, even in the most difficult times, demands optimism that we will all get through this crisis – together. People look to leadership for clues. Any hint of fear, pessimism or panic, however subtle, will create unproductive stress and behaviors. Be honest, but positive. Coupled with maintaining this sense of assurance is creating urgency throughout the organization, both in the tasks that need to get completed and the rules that need to be followed, particularly those impacting the safety and welfare of the employees.

5. Ensure Accessibility – Talking at employees is inadequate. Employees can ask any questions by responding to the video link text. I personally answer them, and if deemed of potentially wider interest, we publish them on our internal communication page for others to view.

6. Maintain Culture – I’ve seen many a championship sports team laud their teammates as family only to observe the complete deterioration of those relationships when losses pile up the next season. Crisis can test even the strongest cultures as fear overtakes the valiant goals of stable times. Leadership must behave each and every day consistently with the stated cultural characteristics it claims to value and demand the same of others.

7. Pivot – The massive disruption caused by the crisis has created chaos in established processes and business practices: An inability to meet with customers; restrictions on internal meetings; uncertainty about the economy. While these conditions may not be permanent, they will likely persist for some time. Rather than lament the current challenges and wait for a return to pre- COVID days, we are not only accepting these circumstances but even embracing them as opportunities to leverage. Pivot from reactivity to proactively tackling the new paradigm, quickly and aggressively.

8. Inject Humor – Last, but certainly not least, we maintain a sense of humor. Studies and, more importantly, survivors of horrible tragedies consistently assert that humor is a powerful tool to help endure hardship. We have used memes to conclude most every Leadership Team meeting and produced a “Lean on Me” video of administrative employees and leadership singing to thank the production team for all they are doing. 

Leadership during this crisis is providing the greatest test of balancing safety and livelihood that I have ever encountered. As I see how other leaders are failing in that effort, I am hopeful that we are successful through these practices and pure diligence. In the end, failure is catastrophic. As a leader, I feel the weight of responsibility unlike any other time in my career. 

Good luck to all. Stay safe and --

Laugh daily.