How to Lead Your Fleet Operation During Uncertain Times
How to Lead Your Fleet Operation During Uncertain Times
This year has brought an unprecedented pandemic that has affected businesses around the world. While COVID-19 likely wasn’t in your fleet operation’s business model for 2020, it has nonetheless become an event that may have caused budget cuts, layoffs or furloughs, and the constant challenge of keeping your employees safe and healthy.
As a fleet manager, trying to lead your operation through this can be challenging, and it can be even more difficult to motivate your staff when there is so much uncertainty in their personal and professional lives.
As you try to push your fleet operation through the rest of 2020, here are five tips to help you lead through these challenging and uncertain times.
Don’t Become Paralyzed by Uncertainty
Forbes.com states that leaders will need to make tough decisions during the pandemic, even when they don’t have all of the information to make a fully educated choice. Fleet managers will have to deal with some unknowns and learn to be OK with that. To act on incomplete information, Forbes recommends gathering the best data you can to come to a decision — knowing that it might not be perfect, and you will likely make some mistakes. Forbes argues that it’s better to act and be wrong rather than avoid making decisions while waiting for the perfect answer.
Embrace Change and the Unknown
It’s important for fleet managers to accept that as experts try to gather information and release guidance on the coronavirus, there will continue to be changes that will need to be made. As more research becomes available, you might have to adjust procedures and processes accordingly. To avoid getting frustrated, it’s important to embrace change and the idea that things will need to fluctuate.
Find Stability in Your Mission
When trying to make important decisions on varying levels of information, Forbes.com recommends using the operation’s purpose and values to keep the company stable. The website suggests that even if the world around you is chaotic, “unchanging corporate integrity should serve as the framework for decisions and actions all of the time, and especially during periods of uncertainty.” Using your values to make decisions can help make up for any missing information and data and can help guide you when making choices.
Determine What You Can Do To Protect Your Staff
One of a leader’s main priorities is to protect his or her staff. This has become even more important during the coronavirus pandemic, with potentially vulnerable and at-risk individuals working at your fleet operation. McKinsey.com states that to protect your staff, you should determine what your customers need and how the operation can best serve them right now, given the circumstances. According to the website, this can include making decisions on how to physically distance at the operation and take precautions while still fulfilling the day-to-day work. It can also include protecting employees’ wages, benefits, and jobs.
Empower the Right People
According to McKinsey, during difficult times, leaders might be tempted to limit authority and tighten control to get through the crisis. However, McKinsey says that the resiliency of an organization depends on getting various perspectives and stakeholders involved — with clear requirements for them to follow. The website says empowering others who display the right character and who are willing to make hard and possibly unpopular choices can help the business make quick and thoughtful decisions. As a fleet manager, charging the right leaders on your staff with making key decisions can help your operation get through the pandemic.
To learn how RTA Fleet Management Software can keep your fleet operation running smoothly during the pandemic, contact us today to schedule a demo or start a free trial!