This is not an ordinary blog post, it’s a space to collect resources that may be useful to leaders in this time of crisis. The first resource is the free Primary Colours Covid-19 Leadership Survival Guide which I have devised in conjunction with Edgecumbe Consulting Group who own the model. The aim of the guide is to give leaders a framework to think about where they focus their energy and attention during this crisis. However, it does not contain any specific advice, so I have drawn together links to trusted sources from a wide range of different professional disciplines.

I will add to this as I find more. Please feel free to add anything particularly useful you have found in the comments. Obviously things in the comment section shouldn’t be taken as an endorsement. I’ve also added opportunities to take part in research or data gathering surveys about the pandemic.

Leadership

Leadership advice from teamwork guru Patrick Lencioni, best summed up as “Be exceedingly human”

Advice for leaders on how to be human without over-sharing from Harvard Business Review. You can undermine your team’s confidence in you if you’re emotionally incontinent.

Leadership advice from the Association for Business Psychology. I particularly like the suggestion to see each employee as an individual.

8 leadership recommendations from fellow business psychologist and leadership author, Richard Boston

Remote working

Advice for parents trying to work with children, including a free webinar, a Facebook group and the option to join a support group from leadership coach Blaire Palmer. Blaire also works with organisations on how they support parents through this.

Remote working tips, including managing remote teams, successful online meetings and legal and contractual issues from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Advice on avoiding Zoom fatigue from Katy Lindsay at Aptimore

Teamwork

Free, downloadable team survey from Edgecumbe to gauge how your team is coping with remote working. Can be used with any survey platform.

Useful one-page team wellbeing check-in tool to use in team meetings from Sarah Taylor at ThriveWise.

Well-being

Thoughtful, in depth guides to coping with the pandemic from psychologist, Mark Adams. In particular, the one on helping people cope contains some really helpful advice on what to say and what not to say to someone who is suffering.

Useful one-page Covid well-being check in to use for yourself or in a one-to-one with someone else (e.g. a staff member) produced by Sarah Taylor for Edinburgh City Council.

The headspace app for guided meditations (initially free then a subscription)

Short videos on techniques for managing your well being, including breathing techniques, gratitude and self-talk from business psychologist, Kate Oliver.

A positive psychology approach from Appreciative Inquiry guru, Sarah Lewis.

Broad ranging advice from mental health charity, Mind.

Tailored on-line staff well being sessions, including yoga and mindfulness, from WeWell Consulting

5 Desk Stretches to ease the pain in neck, shoulders and back from WeWell Consulting

Business advice

Handy one-page business corona virus checklist from The Alternative Board.

Advice for businesses in distress from the Institute for Turnaround (this is their specialist area as a professional body)

Business toolkit from FRP Advisery (a specialist turnaround firm)

Expert accountancy advice from PKF-Francis Clark (a highly regarded firm in the South West – and one of my best clients!)

Family business considerations from Paul Butler of PKF-Francis Clark

Corona virus related employment law updates from specialist employment law firm Mitchell Law

Business toolkit and support from Business West(for S West based businesses, though some of the advice would be applicable across the country)

British Chamber of Commerce advice and support for business.

Future focus

Preparing the workforce for post-covid future from HRZone

Step-by-step guide to marketing through tough times from Bluegreen Learning

Three strategies for business post-pandemic from MIT Sloan Management Review

Contribute to research/surveys

Help medical researchers track the spread of the virus by tracking your symptoms daily, even when you’re well.

If you are a business in the South West, let Business West know how the pandemic is affecting your business to help build the national picture (I can’t find an equivalent UK wide, sorry) .

Gap Square, who normally help organisations track the gender pay gap, are creating a shared management insight dashboard, so businesses can monitor trends.

Take part in some psychological research about the impact of personality on remote working for MSc student Shaun Biggs’s dissertation and get a free personality profile.