In disorienting times, the most effective leaders find ways to uproot the fundamentals of crisis management. They recognize that their decisions will have a major impact on the well-being of their employees, the future of their company, and in some cases society as a whole – and this knowledge carries an acute sense of responsibility. As Winston Churchill said: “ It's no use saying, 'We're doing our best.' You have to succeed in doing what is necessary. ” Instead of succumbing to panic or paralysis, however, effective leaders embrace four core behaviors of crisis leadership and use them to navigate critical truths for their employees, companies, and communities.
5 basic management measures in a crisis
First and foremost – people come first. Finish, done, boom… To unleash the best in your employees in today's crisis and ensure a resilient, resilient workforce for the future, leaders must pay deep and consistent attention to their people—their health, their needs, their fears. This includes both the big things, like making sure employees can return home despite travel bans, and the little things, like changing health insurance policies so employees can fill critical prescriptions and medications to last through extended periods of self-isolation.
Leaders must also paint a vision to get to the other side of the crisis and show the way to a place where the situation and the environment are stabilized. This does not mean projecting false confidence or security, but rather conveying with reassurance that someone is focused on the company's overall trajectory and health; that the captain is at the helm and steers the ship through the linguistic storm. This frees up the capacity and mind-share of employees to devote themselves to smaller concerns within their immediate sphere of influence, at work and at home, rather than worrying about the underlying viability of their organization.
You cannot navigate the crisis alone: leaders must empower others so that everyone can contribute their skills to the moment. Customize what matters so that everyone has a clear “north star.” But also give the teams room to operate and trust that they can deliver. Digital tools for real-time coordination and communication are increasingly important in an unfolding crisis so that all employees, regardless of level, can bring their expertise to bear. Similarly, a central “crisis management office” or “COVID-19 war room” provides critical business direction through reliable communications so frontline teams can move forward with speed and autonomy.
Leaders recognize that these are very emotional times – both for leaders and for those they lead . Simply acknowledging this and giving yourself and others permission to process the emotions of the moment can go a long way toward creating the mental calm necessary to stay grounded and continue to move forward. Ignoring the human side of challenging circumstances can leave employees feeling disconnected and demotivated, rather than fueled to face the days ahead.
Finally, managers must prepare for the fear of the future . Like putting people first, leaders must pay deep and consistent attention to their people—their health, their needs, their fears. The risk of disease transmission and the behavior to minimize it will sit deep within us – COVID-19 outbreak or not. We will continue to use hand sanitizer and keep our distance, for a long time to come. It is therefore important that you as a manager take responsibility and think about your employees' fears. Invest in tools that minimize disease transmission, such as SKYEN from Open, which tells when it is time to open the window, based on a good or bad indoor climate. The good indoor climate minimizes the spread of disease and also increases your employees' ability to concentrate.
What are the most important truths in the COVID-19 management behavior?
With this behavior in mind, leaders can more honestly and effectively face the truths that arise in a crisis —moments that not only define one as a leader, but also define the future of the organization and become part of the company's history and manifesto. One cannot foresee the specifics of one's "defining moment", but by being attuned to the three dimensions of people, business and society, leaders will be better prepared to navigate them.
The truth about people: Support employees
The employees' experiences of the crisis cover a wide spectrum. In today's crisis, some may be infected with COVID-19; others may face difficulties due to family care needs, difficulty traveling to work or lost wages. At the same time, employees can also use new reserves to tackle the crisis. As a leader, one must remember this range and offer empathy and flexible solutions to those who struggle, while recognizing those who go above and beyond. This includes hospital leaders recognizing front-line workers working extra shifts or coming out of retirement to increase capacity, or managers taking proactive pay cuts rather than layoffs.
The Truth About Business: Sustaining the Business
Businesses face countless challenges in the coming months: some suppliers may not be able to pay on time; some customers may reduce the purchase radically. In response, managers must be vigilant as they seek solutions to ensure short-term liquidity for their supply chains and maintain future viability. Eight of the largest US banks announced they would halt share buybacks through the second quarter to maintain customer solvency and liquidity. GrubHub has removed commissions for restaurants to ease the burden on those who close their doors to dine-in customers.
Social truths: Serving the wider community
Managers will also be faced with moments when business decisions can directly affect society as a whole, whether it's closing or curtailing businesses or expanding services to meet the occasion. As leaders respond to the crisis, they must carefully consider how to balance the needs of their business with the larger needs of society. For example, restaurants may close to prevent the spread of disease. Grocery stores are dedicating the first operating hours of the day for seniors to shop to support social distancing for a vulnerable population. Some companies can even stretch beyond the boundaries of their business models to meet community needs, such as the mobile dental service that retools devices to deliver mobile COVID-19 tests instead.
The truth about the future: fear is in man - even into the future
The risk of disease transmission and the behavior to minimize it will sit deep within us – COVID-19 outbreak or not. We will continue to use hand sanitizer and keep our distance, for a long time to come. It is therefore important that you as a manager take responsibility and think about your employees' fears. Invest in tools that minimize disease transmission, such as SKYEN from Open, which tells when it is time to open the window, based on a good or bad indoor climate. The good indoor climate minimizes the spread of disease and also increases your employees' ability to concentrate.
As the world mobilizes to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, uncertainty abounds. However, one thing is clear: As leaders, we must use this opportunity to not only minimize the disadvantages of crises, but also seek the upside for employees, companies and society. By turning from a fear-based perspective to one based on the five core behaviors of crisis management, leaders can equip themselves to navigate these truths effectively, no matter when they occur
