Use lessons learned from COVID-19 to lead your team through crises
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ATLANTA – Take care of yourself, keep a positive attitude and lift your team so you are better prepared to lead in times of crisis, Ted McElroy, OD, said in a lecture here at SECO.
A crisis can range from running out of paper clips to one of your doctors being exposed to COVID-19 2 days prior, McElroy said.
The book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey discusses the “circle of influence,” which is made up of colleagues, friends and family – people you can influence, and the “circle of concern,” like the government or weather – things you have no influence and no control over, McElroy said.
“When things are stressful, we go to the circle of concern,” he said. “It’s attention grabbing.”
But we should be going to the “circle of control,” which consists of how much you sleep, what you eat and how active you are.
“Ground yourself for trials,” so you can get through crises, McElroy said.
Control what goes on in your brain, too. Is it positive or negative?
“We need words of affirmation,” he said. “The fact is, you have survived all of the worst days of your life ... so far.”
McElroy said his office was closed in 2020 from March 20 to April 26 due to COVID-19.
“We were down 25% at the end of the quarter,” he said. “It was the worst first quarter of my career. But overall last year we were up 2.5%.”
In 2020 we lost our freedom, many of us lost jobs, many of us lost loved ones, McElroy said.
“A lot of us are experiencing grief,” he said. “When things are stressful, self care goes in the toilet. This is a place to start.”
Take care of yourself, he said. Exercise empowers you. Eat right and get rest.
“Not eating makes you stupid, but not sleeping makes you even more stupid,” McElroy said.
Also remember that, “as a leader, your words carry a lot of weight,” he continued. Support your team.
“Fear is contagious, and so it hope,” McElroy concluded.
Primary Care Optometry News/Healio is the official media partner of the MedPro360 program.
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McElroy T. Post-COVID leadership tactics to implement daily. Presented at: SECO; Atlanta, Georgia; April 28-May 2, 2021.
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