Managing a Crisis at Work
“No crisis is allowed this week—my schedule is already full.” 😅
…said no one ever, am I right? 🙃
In all seriousness, so many of us have had to put on our crisis and change management hats as a result of the pandemic (and at many other times) and figure out how to effectively navigate challenging and unprecedented times. Change sometimes seems to be the only constant.
So how do we get through it stronger on the other side?
Here are 3 things I consistently do to manage crises:
🗣️ Communicate through ambiguity
When we don’t talk to our teams, imaginations take over. Even when we don’t have all the answers, sharing what we do know and our plans to lead through issues that arise gives peace of mind.
Usually, this means leadership coming together to clarify our goals. How do we want to feel, and what do we want success to look like on the other side of the problem?
We also hear from the team and get curious—it’s a time to ask open questions and not insert our own opinions. This builds trust with the team and oftentimes gives us some of our best solutions.
Ultimately, this also means resetting expectations and allowing for flexibility. We don’t know all of the answers as leaders—but we do our best to create a stable and safe place to work!
🧗 Position issues as us vs. the challenge
Finger-pointing creates more conflict. When we team up and look at the issues we face, it takes the blame out of the conversation so everyone shows up to own their part.
To successfully sit on the same side of the table with my team members, I try to do the following:
Avoid personal attacks or “you” language. I focus on what “I” see as the problem, and don’t place the problem as a sign of the person’s worth.
Checking each team member’s communication preferences (we have a document that has each team member’s preferred communication styles).
Actively listen to understand the situation and how it came to be.
Get collaborative about solving the problem—ask questions and move forward with a clean slate.
Focus on common ground. We want to be successful, we want to do our best work—we’re on the same side!
🙋🏼♀️ Disagree and commit
Even if the solution isn’t where I wanted to land, I buy into it, because creating internal friction during hard times doesn’t improve the situation.
This means as leaders, we discuss options and voice our opinions without politicking; we hear each other out and one team member ultimately has the final say, depending on what the decision is about (the business, teams, etc.). We don’t dwell on the solutions that could have been, instead diving fully into making our chosen solution work.
Managing during a crisis or change is HARD! And when we know how to do it effectively, we usually come out better on the other side.
Reflection: Think of a time you managed through a hard situation. What went well? What would you do differently? Is there anything you can do to better prepare yourself for future challenges?
