In the midst of this crisis, it's all too easy to grow overwhelmed and lose sight of the long-term vision for your company. You may find yourself in that predicament now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But you have to rise above your anxiety and push forward as a leader. Your employees and their families, customers, and vendors are counting on YOU!

Stay confident. Part of leading a company is putting on a poker face during difficult times. It will rub off on employees and stakeholders, thus boosting morale and keeping the business up and running. Pessimism won't get you anywhere. There's more power in positive thinking. Confidence with an assertive attitude toward action can be contagious.

As you cope with the continuing impact of COVID-19, you're probably struggling with day-to-day operations rather than planning for the long-term recovery of your business. But it's vital to move toward a brighter future and proactively assert your plans for recovery.

You must understand that a lot has changed in a relatively short period of time. What did you learn about yourself and your team? What new processes and procedures make sense to implement after this mandated crisis is over? What innovations have you utilized during the crisis that will make you more cost-efficient going forward? Do not plan to automatically revert to your old ways without first contemplating if there is a better way. Again, what did you learn from this crisis? As a notable politician once quoted, "Never let a crisis go to waste!"  The same - but with a whole different meaning - goes for your business. Take something positive from this experience; it will make your team stronger and more confident of future success.