The COVID-19 pandemic has put leaders’ and employees’ abilities to manage through a crisis with extraordinary obstacles on both personal and professional levels to the test. Those who were able to adjust to the new demands of leadership during the pandemic emerged stronger, but those who have been most successful have concentrated on the qualities required to lead themselves. Before we understand what has changed leaders at various levels, it’s essential to go through some of the key focus areas for self-leadership.

It is more critical than ever to prioritize personal health and well-being in the face of continuous uncertainty, rising stress, and increased workloads. What worked before COVID-19 may not work now, so make sure you discover ways to keep your mind and body healthy. HR departments can take the lead in ensuring that employees have access to a diverse range of benefits, many of which are free and available online.

It’s just as essential how you communicate as it is what you communicate. Trust and respect have always been valuable, but now employees want leaders who are genuine, honest people who share stories about what they do beyond work and how they have dealt with mistakes and challenges.

HR leaders must collaborate with top executives to help them improve their storytelling abilities so that they can communicate in a more genuine and engaging manner. If you are in a senior managerial position, you must guide your team through the storm. If it isn’t your strong suit, find other ways to communicate and connect with the organization, but do so clearly and frequently.

The front-line manager’s job has always been demanding, and it has grown even more so during the pandemic. It’s been a rollercoaster your team can’t get off because of the frequent changes at work and at home. That is why being close to your team is more crucial than ever. Talk to them frequently, both individually and as a group, to find out what’s going on in their lives at work and home. Managers must ensure that their teams accomplish their goals once they feel protected and supported. After the organization’s goals have been established, front-line managers must set daily, weekly, and monthly targets to ensure their team stays on track.

As the phrase goes, “With great power comes great responsibility,” it’s crucial to acknowledge that in the new world of work, individual contributors must step up and take responsibility for managing themselves, their deliverables, and their own engagement.

The first step in self-management is to be honest with yourself about your strengths and places for improvement. Employees should consider what they will halt, start, and keep doing to succeed in their jobs. Some people are born with self-discipline, but the rest of us need a strategy.