Crises, whether localized to a single organization or as far reaching as a global pandemic, can openly showcase the capabilities of leaders at every level. The crisis currently facing the world has brought out the true colors of leaders in all organizations. Based on their handling of the crisis some leaders look better than they previously did , while others have never looked worse.
The current situation is unique; something with impact on a magnitude never before seen by the overwhelming majority of the world. However, there are great qualities of leaders and managers that will guide teams through any crisis.
The first – and most important leadership characteristic – is to have a positive attitude. This doesn’t mean that you don’t confront and deal with the facts at hand. The right attitude accompanied by transparency makes for a leader that will gain and keep trust, even through difficult times. This should be applied to giving your organization or team the most direct truth that you can. Leaders and Managers have a duty to confront the facts, evaluate the situation, and honestly communicate with their teams throughout a crisis, while remaining as calm and positive as possible. Uncertainty in times of crisis can cause many people more stress than the crisis itself. Being upfront and aggressively honest with people, while potentially uncomfortable at the time, will allow people to prepare for the realistic outcomes and put themselves in a better position. Keeping people informed not only adds to their well-being, but also boosts their loyalty to the organization or team because they feel more a part of the team or organization.
Good leaders prioritize their people. This means considering not just the immediate consequences of decisions or actions, but also the long-term impact. There will be difficult decisions in times of crisis, but employees that feel supported will drive long-term value creation. A study by Gallup showed that organizations with highly engaged employees show 21% more profitability on average. Creating an employee-centric culture may come at a cost today, but it leads to major benefits in the future. Taking care of employees by being honest, valuing their input, and showing appreciation for their contributions will pay dividends for the company. Times of uncertainty and crisis challenge even the most resilient organizations, but the world – and employees – are watching how their companies respond.
Making sure words and actions are aligned is imperative for leaders at any time, but especially during a crisis. Saying your team is your top priority is not the same as showing your team they are your priority. As the old saying notes, actions will always speak louder than words. If actions aren’t consistent with words, trust is lost. Once lost, regaining trust and credibility is an uphill battle. Loss of trust can lead to a loss of motivation in employees. Without trust, leaders and managers will lose respect and find it significantly more difficult to successfully manage their teams.
It is worth noting that while words and actions must be consistent, they should also be in the team’s best interest, whenever possible. This is not always a possibility, and in some cases an organization will have to make cuts or layoffs in order to keep the entire organization viable for the long term. That should be a last resort; if at a point such as this that actions cannot be in the entire team’s best interest, words must be honest and compassionate.
During a crisis, leaders and managers will face questions – sometimes some very hard questions. Not having all of the answers is okay so long as a method has been planned to come up with answers after the fact and share those answers with the entire team. Typically a question being asked by one person is a question that many people have. Remember that honesty and consistency are still key. Not knowing right now is also ok, so long as the answer is figured out eventually.
Lastly, the systems and processes you have in place need to be continuously evaluated for improvement. The best time to prepare for a crisis is before it arrives. Using lessons learned from the current crisis to challenge existing processes will improve resilience and prepare the organization for the next crisis. Agile processes are critical to help leaders pivot and continue serving their employees and customers in periods of rapid change. Implementing strong systems and processes, rather than relying on people to scramble and problem solve, will not only improve your business function during crises, but will also boost performance during periods of normal operation. Challenging existing systems and making meaningful enhancements requires leaders to understand their business, take an objective view of their position in the market, and engage their teams to brainstorm ideas.
While figuring out new methods of operation and scrutinizing past practices there is no better time to optimize and put lasting systems in place. The new systems and advancements could be the key to a thriving organization not only during a crisis, but well into the future.