How to Lead in Times of Crisis and Uncertainty

Research demonstrates that the #1 leadership competency in shortest supply is dealing with ambiguity, complexity, and crisis. I hope this article will give you the real-world tools actually to do it. This blog post is designed to help us to reach deep inside ourselves, our teams, and our organizations to effectively navigate change and achieve sustainable success.

Crises can occur, in varying degrees, nearly every day in the corporate world. From a single event that threatens the ongoing success of your company to smaller series of events, which can tap into and undermine the morale and camaraderie of your team, to even the less likely but possible, serious natural or human-made catastrophe. In today’s world, it is certain that anything can happen.

As a leader, you must be prepared and able to adapt, responding quickly, no matter the circumstances which surround a particular crisis, to assure your team that this storm will be weathered. As a leader your team trusts you to be in charge, and to lessen their fears while providing direction.

Like any resilient leader, you do need your plan for crisis management, a reference guide for when the going gets tough. Also, just as we are advised in the well-known pre-flight instructions, it is best to put on our oxygen first before assisting anyone else. I hope you will find your oxygen in these helpful lessons on how to lead in the midst of uncertainty, challenge, and crisis.

Face Reality

Before you can know how to proceed, you must face the reality of what has occurred. The first step in dealing with a problem is recognizing and admitting that there is in fact something awry. Did you play any role in the current crisis? Take responsibility. Gather leadership together and come to an agreement on the cause of the crisis. Come up with a solid strategy, and begin forming a solution. In a crisis, quick fixes are only bandages on a hemorrhaging wound. You might stem the flow momentarily, but you are not addressing the real issue.

When you face your team, give them a safe space to share their thoughts and emotions. Remain calm and confident. Encourage them to express what’s really on their mind: their concerns, their fears, and their ideas for problem-solving. Honor their suggestions and let them know they matter. Always be honest and remember they trust you and are looking to follow your example and direction.

Brace for What Comes Next

It is a very useful attribute to be able to look at the bright side in all situations, no matter how bad it gets. In fact, it is part of the reason people feel drawn to you, to begin with. However, bracing yourself for further fallout and more bad news can be a good thing in the midst of a crisis or times of uncertainty.

When a leader opts to “look on the bright side” as an initial response to a corporate crisis, he or she can often be blindsided by what comes next. In that vein, the team can also feel as though they are on shaky ground, as though their ‘fearless leader’ is merely in denial. A leader who anticipates that more bad news may be following the initial crisis can get out in front of the next wave of changes, perhaps preventing too many casualties. Emphasize the cohesiveness of the team. Bring everyone together and brainstorm on ways to handle the crisis as a team. Lead a problem-solving session. This will accentuate your commitment to your team while helping team members to become invested, solution focused, and resilient.

Engage Now

Of course, one of the most painful crises in any business is a financial one. Gauge the degree to which you believe this to be critical. Will there be layoffs? Or, is this simply one lost account? Engage with leadership and decide the best approach.

Watch your step with the team, however. If team members become overly concerned about their job security, stress will inevitably interfere with job performance. Deadlines may be missed; projects could go unfinished, and a cloud of impending doom can quickly emerge from the workplace environment.

Emphasizing the positive act of embracing opportunities to grow and excel will result in empowerment for your team. Individually and as a group, your team members will begin to go above and beyond to make things better for themselves and the company. Resilient, solution-focused and productive teams will create an atmosphere of success, and your company will find a way rise to the occasion.

Build Trust with Transparent Conversations

Don’t isolate yourself behind closed doors in an effort to shoulder the burden of a crisis. This is one time when you need to be there, alongside your team. Bring your team members up to speed on pertinent information and never ask of them what you are not willing to do yourself. A true leader leads by example and strength is found in staying true to the values you espouse. Make the first step by committing to painful, but corrective actions, for the benefit of the entire company and your team will likely do their part in kind.

Choose The Positive

Crisis in the workplace usually leads to changes in our day to day routines. Stay ahead of the crowd and do your best to find the positive with the pending changes. Use these changes as a springboard for getting done that which you needed to do anyway. Accelerate change within your team. If you need to move an unproductive and challenging team member out the door, use this as an opportunity to do just that. It is especially vital to have engaged, collaborative, and professional people onboard during times of change. Bring the remaining team members together and discuss the best way to get back on track and how to move forward in a positive and galvanizing way.

Learn and Move Forward

Bouncing back from a crisis is not easy, but knowing you have to lead by example as much as anything else you do means you must look to the future in a positive way. Sure you might be a little nervous about where your company is headed, but don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Remain confident, even if you feel uncertain, by maintaining your focus and mentally exploring the worst case scenario. Do your best to lessen any doubts and stay calm. Your leadership will determine the direction of your team. Be the leader who models a positive and forward-thinking example.

The better you prepare yourself and your organization for dealing with uncertainty and crisis the more solution focused and resilient you and your team will become. The challenges that leaders face today have no easy answers, but I hope this article will give you some ideas, insights, and tools that will help you to survive and thrive in times of uncertainty, challenge, and crisis.