Leading During a Pandemic

Documentarian and entrepreneur Soledad O’Brien shares her philosophy for leading in times of crisis.

Soledad O’Brien’s mantra for leading her company through the Covid-19 crisis comes down to three words: communication, communication, communication. Fine, that’s one word repeated three times, but that’s how important she thinks it is. “We reiterate what we believe as an organization so that everyone is very clear,” she explains. “We tell everyone that we are going to try to keep everyone employed; that we are not going to shift away from the things we believe are high-quality; that we are going to make sure that safety is prioritized.” She also makes it a point to convey that she understands how stressed out everyone is feeling, and backs those words with action. “When a project crosses the finish line, we say, ‘Take two days off and here’s some money for dinner. Go take your loved ones out for dinner or order in and just take a break!’” It is a small monetary investment that pays huge dividends in mental health, she says. “Plus it helps keep New York City restaurants in business. Win-win!” Learn more at soledadobrienproductions.com.

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