A raging pandemic called for a change in leadership: Here’s how she did it

Before the pandemic, my Global Talent Acquisition team operated independently and with significant flexibility. This helped us adapt quickly when everyone needed to stay home, but at the same time our hiring spiked to unprecedented levels.

My leadership style went through significant changes to adapt to the new circumstances and support my team effectively. After years of building and transformation, I needed to prioritize reaching out more to ensure the team was supported. Here are a few ways my leadership style evolved:

  1. Communication: Communication became more crucial than ever during the pandemic. I shifted towards more frequent and transparent communication with my team members in video calls, which was not our norm before the pandemic. Updates were shared multiple times in various formats to ensure we stayed connected. Virtual happy hours and game nights became common within the team to build and maintain relationships.
  2. Adaptability: The pandemic introduced unprecedented changes and uncertainties. As a leader, I adapted quickly to the evolving situation, making necessary adjustments to work processes, goals, and priorities, such as figuring out with the rest of the world how to hire people we had not met. I encouraged my team to embrace flexibility and adaptability, fostering a culture of change and freedom to fail.
  3. Remote work enablement: With the transition to remote work, I focused on enabling my team to thrive in a virtual environment. While most were accustomed to some level of remote work, many didn’t have the formal home office set up that was needed in a new video-dominated world.
  4. Resilience and stability: It was essential to demonstrate resilience and stability in the beginning of the pandemic. I recognized the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, staying calm under pressure, and inspiring confidence in my team. I motivated my team members to stay focused, care for family first, be adaptable, and stay determined.

Overall, the pandemic forced me to reevaluate my leadership approach and prioritize effective communication, support, adaptability, remote work enablement, and resilience. These changes allowed me to lead my team through the pandemic and the largest hiring increase in company history successfully while supporting their well-being and maintaining productivity.