Navigating your people through times of crisis can be daunting, at best. In times of uncertainty, employees will turn to their leaders for guidance and reassurance. Now, more than ever, leaders are expected to rise up to the challenge of leading their troops through this unchartered territory. 

Below is our practical advice on what leaders can do in these uncertain times:-

① Clarify Goals and Priorities

There is no ‘how to do’ manual for traversing through the current challenges, so it is the leader’s responsibility to set direction on the goals and priorities that the business must focus on in this new reality.  Do not take anything for granted:- clarify accountabilities and work to align your people to the new strategy.

② Establish New Working Norms and Structures

In just a matter of days, organisations have had to re-evaluate their ways of working.  It is critical that as a leader you establish new work practices to ensure that employees adjust to the new work environment as quickly as possible. Harness technology available to continue to connect, deliver and access information, and ensure that your employees are equipped with the right tools to do their job effectively. If remote working is not an option, ensure that the recommended safety measures are implemented and required personal protective equipment is made available to all employees.

③ Be an Effective Communicator

Communication is key. Set expectations around communication frequency and the methods you will employ to release information both internally to your people and externally to your clients, suppliers etc. Treat the crisis like the breaking news story that it is and ask yourself what your audiences need to know each day. Transparency will reassure your stakeholders that you are leading, planning and taking sufficient action to adapt to the crises.

④ Be Present, Visible and Available

During a crisis, leader accessibility is crucial. With possibly most, if not all, of your people on remote working, it is even more important to let employees know how they can stay connected with you. Ensure that you lead with empathy – listen to your people and show them that you care about them and their concerns.  It is important to remember that you are the role model for the rest of organisation:- if you appear calm and in charge, employees will feel encouraged and more likely to follow suit.

⑤ Embrace Innovation

It might seem inconceivable to speak of innovation when you are continually firefighting, but times of adversity can provide the impetus necessary to embrace new ideas and business opportunities, which will positively impact the organisation in the long run. This is the time to be bold and implement ‘out-of-the-box’ ideas to ensure business continuity. Bring your people on board this journey and provide a safe environment for employees to come up and experiment with new ways of doing things. 

Contact us today for more insight and support:

Fabianne Ruggier - Senior Manager ([email protected])