Leadership in Crisis

In every business, there are times where everything is going wrong. Leadership in this type of situation can make or break the business. Leadership in a crisis situation needs to be strong and assertive because indecision and passiveness will only make the problem worse. Leadership should also be able to translate these qualities when communicating with people inside and outside the company.

In this article, we present some basic principles of good leadership in a crisis.

1. Create a plan for the crisis ahead of time.

When confronted with a crisis, the leader must be able to quickly assess the situation and come up with a plan of action. Leadership is about solving problems and this will take careful planning. Leadership should be able to convey confidence in whatever they say or do at this time because what the people need from them most is assurance that things can get better and they are capable of leading them through it. Leadership must also be able to take charge and explain exactly what needs to happen, when it need to occur, who is responsible for it, the available resources and how long it will take. Leadership should be able to get people focused on solving the problem at hand so that they don’t lose sight oftheir goal. Leadership that is indecisive or unclear about what needs to happen will only cause more problems and confusion.

2. Be open and honest with your team about what is going on.

The last thing a team in a crisis needs is to be kept out of the loop. Dishonesty will only hinder your ability to lead effectively and earn the respect of your team. The same is true of blame. Avoid blaming individuals for problems and focus on what needs to be done as a team to resolve the issue. If you need to point your finger at someone, make sure that it’s only directed at the problem, not the people involved in fixing it.

3. Keep everyone informed about what’s happening, even if it seems like bad news.

Sharing all of the information out in the open will boost morale and provide reassurance to your team. It can help to have one person acting as a spokesperson for communication, but make sure that everyone on the team is kept informed about what’s going on, especially if it impacts them.

4. Encourage people to do their best during this difficult time.

Your team will put in extra hours to try and get things back on track, but it’s also your responsibility as a leader to make sure they don’t overtax themselves. It can be very difficult to keep people motivated when their workload suddenly increases during a crisis, so do what you can to boost morale and make people feel that they are still appreciated.

5. Offer support to those who need it most.

Everyone is going to respond differently in a crisis situation. While some people will blossom under the pressure and do their jobs well, others might struggle with stress or feel overwhelmed by the extra workload. Make time to speak with anyone who needs it and offer assistance where you can.

6. Understand that not everything will go according to plan but don’t let that stop you from taking action.

Crises are all about making split-second decisions and adapting to the situation. Don’t get hung up on trying to ensure things go perfectly, but instead focus on what you can do right now . The most important thing is that you act quickly to resolve issues as they arise.