How the Best Leaders Motivate their Teams through Times of Crisis
Being a leader is rarely easy, but it's tough during times of crisis. The last few years have shown us what it truly takes to lead in a crisis. Anxiety has always been present, but today stress levels have increased significantly due to the challenges we've faced in the last two years. Good leadership can not only help lead in a time of crisis but motivate their employees. Here are some tips to help you lead your team when a crisis hits.
Be Supportive
Every crisis is different. Some only affect the workplace, and others trickle through lives to affect them at home. As a manager, you need to ensure your team knows they're supported. Check on them directly. It's okay if you don't know exactly what to say. Let them know they can come to you if with any concerns. Provide outside resources they can access when they need other types of support.
Emphasize Shared Values
Feeling a sense of belonging can help people get by in a crisis. You can reinforce your company's shared values, so your team knows everyone is on the same page. This is also an opportunity to call out toxic behaviors that won't be tolerated, so everyone knows they're safe and supported.
Be More Human
When we shifted to remote work at the beginning of the pandemic, people were worried that the lack of interaction would be damaging. We might rely more on text or chat for office communication, but we can take that extra step to be more present. Make an effort to talk one-on-one with your team as you manage through the crisis to tailor your communication for their needs.
Practice Self-Care
When communicating with employees, managers often have a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude. However, it is more important to lead by example, especially in a crisis. You must pay attention to your wellness and personal safety. You can demonstrate how this balance is vital for everyone.
Reassess Regularly
The nature of a crisis is that it changes and evolves rapidly. Making continual assessments will help determine if you need to shift your course of action at any time. Sometimes, a crisis starts with a critical need for triage, but it might change to maintenance. How you respond and encourage your employees to respond will make a difference in the outcome.
Call Frontline Source Group. If you're ready to add to your team, contact ours today!
Category(ies): Blog
Published on: Jul 4, 2022