In the last few months we have started to experience the enormous impact that the Covid-19 virus has on our lives, starting in China, but almost everywhere in the world now.
How do business leaders manage navigate their teams through these uncertain times? Uncertain about how long quarantine, lock-down, travel restrictions and other measures to stop the spread will continue, business leaders are all trying to get to a grip on the effect that this crisis will have on our business strategies, our financial results, our processes and not in the last place for our people.
When we lead teams through crises, we must first understand the natural responses of people.
There are typically 6 phases that people go through during crisis situations:
- In the beginning, people feel anxious, nervous and fearful because in this phase, there are more questions than answers.
- Next, when faced with the first impact of the crisis, people focus on what they will lose (security, job, friends).
- People believe that there are insufficient resources, resulting in empty shelves, a fall in spending and delayed investments.
- This is when people’s response to a crisis starts to differentiate. People will interact at different levels depending on their willingness and readiness to adapt and their perceived safety level. Some people can stay put, think that it will pass soon or are simply not sure what to do and therefore do nothing. Others respond immediately strategies to increase their (perceived) safety. Some people may even decide to pick up their things and leave.
- People can handle only so much. When the lasts too long, this is the phase where people can get depressed and frustrated.
- Finally, people will revert back when the pressure is taken off. When changes and measures to handle the crisis are introduced, there is usually a lot of attention for its implementation. At some point people will fall back into their old routines, perhaps become less careful, although the crisis might not be over yet.
As leaders we don’t have all the answers to the questions our people ask. We can also worry about the short and long-term effects on our personal lives and our careers, so we may tend to withdraw and not say much. Moreover, if we are limited to travel or work remotely, we cannot physically spend time with our people.
In uncertain times however, people expect leadership, clarity and direction. The absence of this can cause rumors and frustration, further fuelling uncertainty and increasingly distracting employees from their work.
5 Ways we can support and help people in times of crisis:
1. Keep communicating often and provide as much clarity and direction as possible. People will understand that you may not have all the answers, but will respect you for your honesty and will feel respected when involved and informed.
2. Show compassion. Recognize the feelings of anxiety, fear, frustration and other emotions that people will naturally experience when impactful circumstances disrupt their lives. Really listen to people, create space and time for employees to express themselves will help neutralize unpleasant emotions and create feelings of connectedness and support. Show understanding for the fact that circumstances can affect their performance. Only when the mood is lighted, can people talk about work matters more easily.
3. Provide structure. Be creative in trying to keep processes going; Take meetings online via video conferencing and continue to hold your one-on-one meetings. However, you may have to make some agreements about new ways of working; for example, how do you communicate online, when people cannot attend meetings online: who should know by when, what options are there for people for whom working at home is difficult, what flexibility is offered and what are the limits?
4. Share learnings. All circumstances are opportunities for growth. What do these circumstances offer us? It can offer us time to that we can think and reflect more. It can offer us the opportunity to complete certain tasks that should have been completed a long time ago or to act on new creative ideas. It allows us to reconnect with people with whom we have not had contact lately. We can get to know our colleagues and family members in a different way, our conversations may go deeper if we share our experiences and connect at different levels under these unique circumstances.
5. Lead by example. As people are looking for leadership and direction, the focus on you as leader is greater than ever. Crisis offers the opportunity to exemplify what is important for you as a leader and the company: transparency, clear communication, building trust, showing commitment and compassion are leadership skills that people will remember and are extremely important in leading people through uncertain times.
Take care of your people, yourself and stay healthy everyone!
