Crisis Management: 5 Things Strong Leaders Do When Facing Crisis

It’s a crazy time to be alive. 

Nations and major cities are on total lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, and the economic ramifications are scary. 

Business executives and their employees are petrified as to the outcome of the unprecedented situation. 

It isn’t a scenario you get prepared for in business school. The current pandemic is a shocker to everyone. As a corporate executive, however, to wade through such situations, you need to incorporate crisis preparedness and management as a vital segment of your business plan. 

With the adequate structure and mentality, like John F Kennedy, you’ll have this to say:

“When written in Chinese, the term ‘crisis’ is made up of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.”

The quote above means one thing: Crisis in your organization, regardless of the magnitude, offers an opportunity for advancement.  

That is only possible when you have the right system in place. We’ll discuss what these crisis management structures are and how to apply them. 

Strong leaders have underlying behavioral traits that emerge in a time of crisis. To exhibit them, you need to know what they are, so let’s have a look: 

1. Lead By Example In Crisis 

If there’s anything that works in leadership, it is the motto “do as I do.” In these trying times, everyone you lead is watching your every step to know how to feel, think, and act. 

Being aware of this, you need to be certain that all emotions you reveal in such seasons are exactly what you want your followers to go home with. If you panic, be certain that they’ll freak out to an even higher degree. 

So regardless of what you’re feeling within, show them only what you want to be replicated in your organization.  

There also scenarios where you’ll need to make drastic adjustments.

For example, in the current global situations, many businesses are taking the work-from-home approach. In such cases, lead by example. Show them how to adjust policies, objectives, and procedures in light of the emergency.  

By maintaining consistency of character in professionalism and dedication at all times, you’ll inspire and motivate your team to do the same. 

2. Develop a Rule Set For Their Team to Follow

A crisis is simply a new situation opposing the natural order of things. This means that there probably aren’t rules and regulations already in place for such a situation. 

To overcome this, as a strong leader, you need to act quickly and create order in chaos. And there is only one way of achieving that – introducing a rule set. 

Put a set of rules in place that enables your team to ensure the smooth running of things despite any kind of situation. 

If everybody has to work from home, when are they supposed to log on? What are their work hours? What is the acceptable timeframe for tasks to be completed? What is the approved communication channel? 

These are the questions that help you to form rules and regulations that make order out of chaos. Think of rules as a storm calmer.  If your team sees order, they’ll no longer view the situation as a scary one. 

3. Stay Positive 

When does a crisis end? Your answer to that question determines the attitude you portray in adverse conditions. 

Crisis ends the moment you decide to be positive about it. Why? Because a positive attitude means you have begun to recover and are moving on. 

Keep in mind that your team will replicate your every move and expression. If you don’t have hope, your team will crumble because they see no future in whatever you’re asking them to do. 

By pushing excellence in your team and a positive attitude, you boost the morale of those looking up to you, and in no time, you’ll see everything fall back into place. 

4. Help Your Team Overcome the Obstacles of Crisis 

Strong leaders know that their team’s psych in crisis determines how well the organization recovers. And to properly evaluate your followers’ mentality towards any situation, you have to communicate with them. 

Poor communication in any business can have terrible effects like distrust, hidden problems, etc. So it is crucial to help your followers feel that they can come to you on any issue without facing a backlash. 

Keep communication open at all times. It fosters a bond in your organization and helps you identify those who need a helping hand. 

5. Be Flexible and Adapt Quickly to New Situations 

Daniel Goleman states an interesting fact in the Harvard Business Review. And it is that successful leaders quickly adjust their management style to fit the situation.  

Your ability to switch management style is the symbol of a strong leader and a successful one. Every problem requires a specific formula to solve it, and there’s no one fix-all solution for all situations. 

Keep in mind though that a consultation approach at times may be the best way to come up with a new approach for a problem. It helps to build trust, dedication, and respect among team members. 

You may have to resort to the autocratic approach when you must introduce urgent changes, although it has its downsides in certain situations. Your team members may decrease their dedication, as they don’t feel their input is needed. 

So before making a change to adapt to a new situation, ensure that you understand it to know the best approach to take. 

Conclusion 

Leadership is tough work, and in these trying times, you need to exhibit the traits of a strong leader to keep your team and business processes going.

Every member of your team looks up to you for guidance and wisdom. To give them that, you need to be the best example. By following the five actionable tips listed in this piece, you can ensure the working of your business in all situations. 

Joe Peters is a Baltimore-based freelance writer and an ultimate techie. When he is not working his magic as a marketing consultant, this incurable tech junkie devours the news on the latest gadgets and binge-watches his favorite TV shows. Follow him on Twitter: @bmorepeters