The activity sparked in reaction to the onset of Covid-19 initially served as a distraction amid chaos. Converting complex technical workflows to fully remote operations practically overnight incited our team to action, keeping heads down and remaining fully focused on the task at hand. While anxiety and unease were certainly omnipresent as our perceptions of reality crumbled around us, collective creative problem solving became a powerful unifying force and fostered a deep sense of shared achievement. It’s always a top priority for me to ensure I effectively communicate the value and appreciation of our greatest asset as a company — our team — and empower them to drive success through their unique talents.

Leadership should be driven by the same guiding principles, whether in times of crisis or times of prosperity. However, this forced shift into virtual collaboration brought to the forefront the vital importance of leading effectively, both in the presence of your team and in your absence. As vast as your team building efforts are, the team is always going to be left with more time and space without overt guidance than with. As internal and external communications shifted to virtual versions, it became apparent that having a solid foundation of direction and support would prove equally effective while physically separated was imperative.

To weather the storm, at the outset of the pandemic, I immediately implemented measures to prioritize our staff, protect the continuity of existing business and ensure, as best possible, ongoing revenue streams.

1. Top-down communication: While I’ve been actively engaging with our entire team across all levels of seniority, encouraging our department leaders to be in daily communication with their teams has been key in keeping the conversational nature of the office setting alive while everyone is working remotely.
2. Transparency: Making sure my team is fully aware of the challenges we are facing as a business removes the space for negative speculation, allowing everyone to focus on being aggressive with new business leads and unique new revenue streams.
3. Cashflow resources: Moving aggressively to secure assistance from government programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, as well as exploring less traditional loan options, has allowed us to prioritize keeping our cash flow internal to support payroll.
4. Managing external contracts: Negotiating amicably with our vendors allowed us to free up funds for payroll and allowed us to protect long-term relationships, while still maintaining essential daily business functions.
5. Optimism: As cliché as it may sound, ensuring that even the difficult news is delivered with an undertone of positivity lays the foundation for a productive path forward, reduces anxiety and keeps everyone on task.

While a physically present leader may seem more authoritative and accessible, the groundwork created to lead in your absence is the singular most influential tool to empower others to achieve beyond their own perceived potential. Navigating my team through this time of crisis has only reinforced my dedication to invest in top tier talent, while ensuring that we retain an existing incredible team, thrive and continue to exceed expectations under even the most trying of circumstances.

Offering directors, live action production, visual effects, ideation, design, animation, editorial, as well as original, reality, and branded content, post production, color and sound design, the Alkemy X team has risen to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and is able to provide safe, creative solutions to all your content needs: alkemy-x.com.

Alkemy X is an award-winning creative content and integrated media production company headquartered in Philadelphia, with additional studios in New York, Los Angeles and Amsterdam. The company produces branded content, network creative, integrated marketing, social/digital media and long-form unscripted television. It also provides high-end animation and visual effects services for feature films, television and commercials.