Leadership is Most Important in Times of Concern or Crisis
When times get tough and there is global uncertainty surrounding us all, leadership is at a premium. How we lead through these times will not only help to guide us through the challenge but ensure we are best positioned for when growth times return.
The world stage has been captivated by the COVID-19 virus and the ongoing news stream that has been in place for multiple weeks now. One of the things that most concerns me is the varying levels of leadership we have seen from world, health, and business leaders around the globe. Having a trustworthy source of factual information is critical in managing any stressful, and in this case potentially life-threatening, situation.
In the United States, there has been a fair amount of political slanting that has occurred in reporting information about the spread and actions to be taken. COVID-19 is not a political issue. It is a human issue. Human issues require people to resolve them. It takes leadership to guide others to make informed decisions and provide the data and options necessary to protect themselves and those close to them.
COVID-19 is not a political issue. It is a human issue. Human issues require people to resolve them.
As a leader, doing these three things can help calm the fears of those you serve.
Stay informed
The best thing you can do as a leader is to gather and manage information for yourself and your team. This can mean following up on information your company is sharing from multiple sources as well as external news sources. I encourage you to review multiple known, trustworthy sites. These include the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), OSHA, or the Infectious Disease Society (IDSociety). Balancing your information from multiple sources can ensure a fuller view on the rapidly changing situation versus relying on any one place for information.
Your team will look to you for information. You do not need to know everything, but being a reliable source that is able to get additional information for your team will be invaluable to them. They trust you, which means they will trust the information you provide. If information from your company is missing, work through all of your channels to get the information your team needs. This may be the right time to push harder than usual and challenge when urgency is not apparent.
Share information responsibly
As you learn new information that has been confirmed, share through the appropriate mediums to ensure all of your team members have access to the data. This may mean using methods that are not normally used for day to day communication (messaging, chat, calls, etc.). Many companies are implementing different types of communication methods that can reach all associates at the same time. There are several alert mechanisms that can be utilized in critical situations. These are sometimes used during or after natural disasters. These can be effective in a situation like we are currently facing now, allowing all associates to opt-in for information whenever it is available. This ensures a consistent stream of information for all associates.
When you are sharing information, ensure you have verified the facts prior to sharing with a large audience. Maintaining a level of trust in what you communicate is critical to being able to guide your team through times of crisis.
Remain Available
Ensure your team knows you are available for their questions or concerns. It may not always be possible to be physically visible to your team, but by having a presence online via email or messaging it can signal your team that you are there for them. Remain consistent about this and encourage them to reach out, even for basic conversations. You may be managing multiple aspects of the business at once, but your team needs to know that you are available for them if they have an urgent need for information.
Working through unique situations, crises, and challenging times all require high levels of leadership. Empathy and trust are at a premium. People react differently during these times and your ability to meet their specific needs will be important to help them and the entire team manage through them. Information is almost always the most requested aspect; people want to know what they should do, how they will be impacted, and the steps they need to take to protect themselves and their families. They will rely on you to help them answer those questions and address their fears. Being open, honest, and transparent will always be the best course of action. Work to find new information, share quickly, yet responsibly, and remain accessible throughout the situation to help everyone work through troubled times.
What other steps are you taking to keep your team informed and calm?
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