1.
5 Leadership Skills & Training
for the Workplace During COVID-19
Joseph Kopser, Grayline Group
APRIL 2020

2.
1
2
3
4
5
Role model the leadership needed
Work in the moment but look to the
future
Foster innovation and power down
decision making
Take a thoughtful look at the
wellbeing of your workforce
Take care of yourself so you can take
care of others
5
LEADERSHIP
SKILLS &
TRAINING
FOR THE
WORKPLACE
DURING
COVID-19
Joseph Kopser

3.
Role model a collaborative,
positive, and can-do attitude
Cooler heads will prevail
Teams require direction,
flexibility, and freedom
Enable people to adapt and
rethink how they accomplish
their mission
Agile thinking must be
encouraged, fostered, and
sustained
ROLE MODEL THE
LEADERSHIP
NEEDED
Joseph Kopser

4.
WORK IN THE
MOMENT BUT
LOOK TO THE
FUTURE
Leaders at all levels must be flexible and
meet immediate needs while anticipating
what is next
Rapidly changing environments make
traditional long-standing business growth
irrelevant
Perform a stress test
Examine every link in your supply chain
Examine the supply chains of every
vendor you work with
Joseph Kopser

5.
FOSTER
INNOVATION AND
POWER DOWN
DECISION MAKING
Examine the company culture & ask
yourself:
Does it encourage and leverage
innovation?
How many layers of approval are
required to allow someone to try
something new?
Do people feel empowered to make
changes in the lanes they supervise, or
must they wait for approval?
The best ideas often come from the front
lines as they can often see solutions
before anyone else.
How fast can that innovation spread?
Joseph Kopser

6.
Understanding challenges of the
workforce is critical to emerging in a strong
position
Exchange information on home front
challenges
Think of: closed schools and childcare,
travel restrictions preventing visits, etc.
Encourage outlets for cabin fever
Empathy and attention to team
members is required
“How are you doing?” should be the
start of every conversation
Policies to improve conditions at home
will have an impact on focus and
productivity
TAKE A THOUGHTFUL
LOOK AT THE
WELLBEING OF YOUR
WORKFORCE
Joseph Kopser

7.
TAKE
CARE OF
YOURSELF
SO YOU
CAN TAKE
CARE OF
OTHERS
Leaders need to prevent themselves from
being consumed
Burnout can bring down any organization
Your mind and body will require occasional
distancing to preserve resilience
Take a moment each day to REST
Joseph Kopser

8.
Take a moment each day to REST
Read something unrelated to current events
Joseph Kopser
R
E
S
T
Exercise, even if it’s a walk around the block
Sleep and nap to maintain strength
Think - Allow yourself the opportunity to consider
all that is going on and what still needs attention.

9.
Joseph Kopser is a technology entrepreneur and expert in transportation, smart cities, urban
mobility, energy, national security issues as well as an Army combat veteran. Currently he
serves as an Executive-in-Residence at the McCombs School of Business at the University of
Texas. In addition, he is President of Grayline where he works to bring together experts, data,
and solutions to help companies and public institutions manage disruptive change. Prior to co-
founding Grayline, Joseph co-founded and served as CEO of RideScout, before it was
acquired by Mercedes-Benz in 2014.
Joseph also served in the U.S. Army for 20 years earning the Combat Action Badge, Army
Ranger Tab and Bronze Star and is a graduate of West Point with a BS in Aerospace
Engineering and also received a Masters from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2002. In 2013, he
was recognized as a White House Champion of Change for his efforts in Energy and
Transportation. In 2014, his company won the U.S. Department of Transportation Data
Innovation Award. In 2018, Joseph ran for Congress in a race that attracted more voters than
any of the 36 districts in Texas. Losing by less than 3 points in a heavily gerrymandered district,
Joseph demonstrated that voters want civility and problem solvers in Congress. In his free
time, he works closely with The Bunker, an organization dedicated to supporting veteran
entrepreneurs. In 2017, he co-authored the book, Catalyst, which he recommends you check
out on Amazon. In 2019, Joseph became the inaugural Chairman of the Board of Advisors for
the CleanTX Foundation, an economic development and professional association for
cleantech. Joseph lives in Austin with his wife and is extremely proud of three adult daughters.
Joseph Kopser, President - Grayline Group

10.
Connect with me at JosephKopser.com
Check out my book, Catalyst, on Amazon.