Before March 2020 I used to say that the role of CEO in the Australian disability sector would challenge the leadership skills of any CEO, regardless of their prior experience.

However, with the massive external shock presented by Covid-19, a difficult role became infinitely more complex across three connected domains:

• The urgent operational imperatives around health and safety: PPE shortage, inadequate procedures and training.

• Customer stress: increased anxiety, confusion around service delivery, increased isolation and reduced supports.

• Workforce stress: cancelled shifts, isolation, financial hardship, the inability to social distance, difficulty filling shifts due to the Jobkeeper effect and the rapid deployment to remote working.

In times of intense and rapid change such as this any previously existing communication issues will be amplified. Under stress, an organisation’s culture will either bind the team together or split into silos of sub-cultures as people seek security.

As a Senior Manager at one of Australia’s largest national charities commented to me in April: “Fran if you ever need a case study in slow communication, mixed leadership messages and confusion – let me know!”

Culture is not an easy fix. It requires a whole-of-organisation Action Plan - particularly in the disability sector where the frontline IS the business. Every other role in the business exists to support the quality and ‘fit’ of that frontline support worker- participant relationship.

Nine months on from the initial lockdown, Christmas presents a unique opportunity to make culture personal.  So I’ve pulled together a shortlist of my top 3 culture building tips for the disability CEO this Christmas.  (I hope it helps!)

Your staff may be feeling like they’ve been put through the wringer this year. Many support workers are feeling undervalued and stressed. Now is the time to acknowledge their efforts with a personal thank you card, or a phone call and be the leader that your employees can trust. Own up to what you personally found challenging; where you may have stuffed up this year. Honesty and vulnerability take courage and build courage in others. Never forget that the quality and capacity of your workforce is now your #1 competitive differentiator so I urge you to take the time to pause, reflect, say thank you and celebrate with your team.

Share how far you’ve come over the last year, how you have responded to Covid-19 and how you are committed to ensuring the participant remains at the heart of every decision you make. The communication channels you use also send a message about who you are.  Again, you’ve got to make it personal. Pick up the phone and speak to people or send a handwritten thank you card. This is about recognising the whole person, not just the person they are to your business.

Share stories of outstanding service and random acts of ‘going way beyond’ customer expectations. Stories that demonstrate your values in action. Stories drive change better than any other form of communication. So your primary role as leader is to share your vision and back it up with stories that demonstrate the continued relevance of your mission.  

The NDIS has imposed a transactional business model on a service that is driven by the quality of its people – their expertise and their relationships. Your customer is not looking for a transaction; they are looking for someone they can trust. So are your staff.

Great cultures are founded on TRUST.

This Christmas I urge you to take the time to prioritise workplace culture.  Thank your team - and make it personal. Let them know that you believe in them, that you know they are capable of extraordinary things and that, with their support, your organisation will emerge from 2020 stronger than ever before.