Forward Thinking During a Pandemic

Author: Sara Delgado, PhD

“When we ignore feelings, when we suppress them, then they only become stronger, and potentially more damaging. As leaders, rather than squash these emotions, what if we gave our teams the space to discuss them? ”

We are currently living in a world where very little is within our control. It’s no wonder that most Americans report that the number one emotion they are feeling is anxiety. As school leaders, however, there are some areas over which we do have control. As we continue to navigate our school communities virtually, it is not too early to begin to think forward to how we will handle reentry into the workplace. While we may not be able to control when that will happen, we can control how. Forward-thinking and planning for that return may seem futile right now, but it will serve to strengthen our school’s emotional health and culture in the long run. School leaders should not only strategically plan for their return to the workplace but should be prepared to address staff members' emotional health when that time comes as well. 

Practice Forward-Thinking

Even though many school leaders are currently overwhelmed, they cannot lose sight of the power of forward-thinking. Leaders should be proactive about their planning for a return to in-person work. Don't assume that everything will fall into place. A global pandemic can destroy even the strongest building’s culture. Leaders should have a reentry plan in place that consists of more than providing their teams with bagels and coffee. 

I am currently working with a school leader who has already had multiple meetings with her leadership team planning for the upcoming school year. They have discussed connectors for teachers, revision of mission statements, and student initiatives to create a sense of belonging when school returns. Initially, she was worried that thinking forward to next year would stress out her team members or seem out of place during a global pandemic. But in fact, it has done the exact opposite. The leadership team has welcomed an opportunity to think proactively, to prepare for what’s next. When I asked her if the team was planning for these activities to be in person or virtual, she answered that they are preparing for both. The discussions and preparations have given her team a sense of emotional connection at this difficult time as well as a sense of preparedness for the upcoming year, no matter what the pandemic brings. Right now is not the time for a “wait and see” approach. 

Prepare to Address Emotional Health

We have all heard talk of the “new normal” when discussing the end of quarantine, resuming activities, and returning to the workplace. While many are tiring of hearing this phrase, it is our current reality. When the time comes, we cannot return to business as usual and jump back into old routines as if nothing happened. This global pandemic has affected most people in some way. Perhaps they were infected with the virus or a relative fell ill. Maybe staying at home for days on end was too much for their mental health. The sheer idea of returning to in-person work may invoke anxiety and fear. While school leaders don’t know how exactly the pandemic has affected their staff, what they do know is that everyone will be returning to the workplace in different emotional states. Leaders need to be prepared for that. 

One question you can intentionally ask your staff when they return to work might seem quite simple. How are you feeling? When you ask the question, however, take the time to truly listen to the answer. How often have you asked someone How are you? when you were not truly prepared to listen to the real answer. What if when you asked that question while running into Starbucks for your morning coffee, the respondent launched into a 15-minute explanation about their mother’s ailing health and its effect on their own mental state and sleep patterns? We often aren’t prepared for real answers when we ask someone how they are doing. When we return to our new normal, however, if leaders want to build strong, positive cultures in their buildings, they need to not only be prepared to listen empathically and to push people to answer truthfully when they don’t. This will take time, it will be an investment. But, it will take more time to rebuild an ailing school culture later if it isn’t done initially. 

When investing the time to ask, you may be surprised to find out that many of your staff members are returning to work filled with worry, anxiety, or fear. It is a school leader’s responsibility to ensure that it is ok to be anxious or angry. Those are valid emotions. Rather than squash them, or provide strategies to achieve happiness, why not discuss the emotions and how to use them wisely? Often human beings identify our emotional goal as “to be happy.” So rather than discuss and utilize anxiety and fear productively, we suck it up, squash it down, and act out. We avoid a difficult conversation with a colleague, we explode at a loved one, or we devour an entire bag of chips without truly understanding why. When we ignore feelings, when we suppress them, then they only become stronger, and potentially more damaging. As leaders, rather than squash these emotions, what if we gave our teams the space to discuss them? What if we reached out to our anxiety-ridden team members individually and asked about their feelings; then empathically listened to the answer?

As Marc Brackett outlines in his book Permission to Feel everyone needs someone in their lives that gives them that permission. When we return to in-person learning, it will be leaders’ responsibility to not only provide that safe place and permission to their team members but to model it themselves. If you are feeling anxious, name it. If you are fearful, tell your team. Build trust through honesty so they will feel comfortable to do the same.

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Sara Delgado, PhD, is an educator with experience as a classroom teacher and elementary school principal. Currently, she provides professional learning and coaching for teachers and principals with Edspire Leadership, LLC.