How to lead when employees are scared to come back

INC. THIS MORNING How to lead when employees are scared to come back Good morning, The Covid-19 pandemic has created a monumental dilemma for some small businesses across the country: Reopen and ask your team to risk virus exposure, or stay closed and risk being unable to ever open again. Peter Newell has spent much of his career tackling such dilemmas. As a former Army colonel on the front lines, he was accustomed to solving challenges while strapped for resources in high-risk situations. In 2013, he redeployed that experience upon retiring into his problem-solving and innovation shop, BMNT. It’s no surprise, then, that as the world began shutting down in response to the coronavirus, the pace at his 50-person company increased: Clients wanted help figuring out how to adapt. That’s why Inc.com managing editor Lindsay Blakely reached out to Newell for his top tips on leading people when they’re afraid to come back to work. His top-line advice: Recognize you can’t manage your people’s fears--but work to support them. Encourage them to be honest about what they’re feeling and really listen. Then, clearly and transparently communicate about what you know, what you don’t know, and any potential risks down the road. Newell has more valuable advice, so check out the rest of the story to learn [how to inspire trust, take responsibility, and lead when your employees are scared](. HERE'S WHAT ELSE I'M READING TODAY: The SBA just [shed light]( on several long-standing questions about the Paycheck Protection Program. Here’s what you need to know --Inc. Apple reportedly plans to bring employees back to the office later this month. [Here’s what that entails](. --Inc. Delivery apps like DoorDash are reportedly milking small businesses to death with fees and commissions. [One pizza shop owner]( had enough of it. --GQ Uber has now cut roughly [a quarter of its workforce]( in less than a month. --The Wall Street Journal Here’s how a hospitality staffing startup shifted to health care and grocery stores, [saving jobs and itself]( in record time. --Inc. I wrote about a founder who used [Covid-era creativity]( to find a better way to prototype--and dig his company out of a financial hole. --Inc. --Cameron Albert-Deitch Reporter, Inc. How are we doing? Send me ideas and feedback for Inc. This Morning at [calbertdeitch@inc.com](mailto:calbertdeitch@inc.com?subject=) or on [Twitter](. [Click here]( to forward to a friend. This email was sent by: Mansueto Ventures 7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor New York, NY, 10007, [Unsubscribe]( • [Update Profile]( • [View in Browser]( • [Privacy Policy](