Leadership during a crisis
As a leader, supervisor, manager or company owner, these are unprecedented times in any company and industry across the globe. For a number of management and leaders, this is the first time a scenario like this has occurred, and when an entire company is searching for answers from you, it can be even harder to combat.
While so many things are changing and times are uncertain, leadership during crisis should remain strong and well-managed. Here are some main notions to remember about leadership during COVID 19.
Do not panic
This is crisis management, communication and leadership entry-level college classes- do not panic and do not show panic. When things go South, a team or individuals in a company will turn to the person who they trust in the most, and for a majority of these people, it will be the ones who are leading the team and departments. As a leader, keep calm and have a plan of action in place.
The leader who can remain calm and show that there is a future plan of action is the one who can rally the troops in the COVID-19 war. The leader who is panicked, stressed and having a melt-down is slowly going to unravel their troops.
Assume and demonstrate
Leadership is the ability to facilitate and influence others towards common goals or main objectives set in place, and in moments of crisis, this is critical to proper leadership during crisis. Research shows that after natural disasters all across the globe, a company that was present and active before, during and after the crisis were the ones who had an overall better perception from their employees and others in the community.
While COVID-19 is changing common practices and measures in place, it is important for leaders to assume their positions and demonstrate the importance of continuing to work towards one common goal. This is with protocols in place, weekly emails, open communication, remaining calm, acknowledging the crisis at hand and how the company and leadership are currently handling all of this.
Letting go of the reins
As a leader, sometimes a shining employee who you have been waiting to step up will finally feel comfortable to step up.
While there is always a leadership triad in any company from small to large companies, sometimes, this allows for employees who have been waiting for their moment to shine, to finally shine. In moments like these, leadership during COVID 19 can be strained, but do not strain this anymore by not letting some employees take the reins.
It is important for leadership to encourage some more temporary leadership and more responsibilities. This allows for those who are trusted employees to develop their skills while executives and decision makers can worry about the crisis at hand. So, let the reins go a bit, monitor, step in when needed and step back again!
Leadership is not a one-way road and there are so many different ways that employees respond to communicate and leaders. As a company owner and leader, navigate this situation in the best way for YOUR team members. These tips are here to simply provide basic guidance and a road-map!