As the continually changing news about the coronavirus pandemic unfolds, it is presenting not only medical challenges but also business challenges. Will Sampson, editor of FDMC and Woodworking Network, interviews leadership expert Jim Bouchard about the role of leadership in a crisis such as this.
This episode of the Woodworking Network Podcast was sponsored by the Executive Briefing Conference, being held November 8-10, 2020, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Welcome to the Woodworking Network Podcast where we explore the business of woodworking and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
This episode is sponsored by the Executive Briefing Conference.
Today, my guest is leadership expert Jim Bouchard. But before we get to Jim, let’s talk a little about “Leadership in crisis.”
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, worldwide we have all been facing a lot of unknowns. In the short term, what will we do to protect ourselves and our loved ones? In the longer term, what does it mean for our businesses and relationships?
In the early days of the outbreak, I suspect most people in the United States treated the news coming out of China as a fairly isolated incident, far away and not much to worry about. My family paid a little closer attention, as one of my daughters was living and working in Japan. She filled us in on the Asian perspective, the tales of the quarantined cruise ship docked in Japan, the spread of reported cases in the country, the shortage of protective masks, and actions taken to close some schools. She was teaching English in a private school that kept its doors open, but she had to undertake special measures such as regularly taking her temperature and actively disinfecting all the contact surfaces in the school. She was nearing the end of her contract and work visa, and we were already dealing with complications with her flight home.
More recently, people across North America have seen the crisis come home with new cases reported daily, a whole raft of event cancellations or postponements, including major sporting events, and panic buying that has emptied supermarket shelfs of common items. On the business side, we have watched the stock market plummet, and are faced with international and domestic supply issues. Some companies may be looking at temporary shutdowns or layoffs.
The challenge is to act on all of these dynamic, constantly changing circumstances from a position of leadership rather than just managing. We have to look beyond the crisis of the day, taking action today that will put us in the best position for success in the future. Panic and knee-jerk reactions seldom have positive results over the long haul. Even if you need to act swiftly, do so decisively with a long-range plan in mind. Remember, no matter what happens, this too shall pass.
Before we get to Jim Bouchard, let’s pause for a word from our sponsor, the Executive Briefing Conference. EBC is a superior opportunity to learn, be inspired, and have face-to-face interchanges with top leaders in the industry. The 2020 EBC will be held at the spectacular Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. In addition to top speakers and presentations, there also will be tours of Concepts in Millwork and The MiLL woodworking training facility. It’s an unparalleled opportunity to obtain business intelligence to improve your enterprise. You can learn more at executive-briefing-conference-dot-com.
As the continually changing news about the coronavirus pandemic unfolds, it is presenting not only medical challenges but also business challenges. Here at the Woodworking Network, we were compelled by circumstances to postpone our combined Cabinets and Closets Conference and Expo and Wood Pro Expo that had been slated to happen in Arlington, Texas this week. With a lot of work and cooperation from the venue and hotel, we were able to reschedule the events to June. As government, colleges, and even professional sports organizations move to cancel or postpone events with large gatherings of people, this poses especially challenging issues for leadership. That’s why I think it’s so important to be able to have today’s podcast guest on the program.
Jim Bouchard is an internationally recognized expert on leadership who developed the Sensei Leadership Movement, has written several books, and is a dynamic speaker with a compelling story to tell of overcoming adversity to become a leader in his own right. We had already scheduled Jim to be our keynote speaker for the Executive Briefing Conference later this year, but we thought it would be invaluable to get his advice now in the wake of recent events. Welcome to the Woodworking Network podcast, Jim.