What do you do if your team is facing a crisis and you need to maintain composure?

In a crisis, remember the '80-20' composure rule: 80% listening, 20% talking. Active listening helps to understand the crisis deeply and respond rather than react. Implement a 'first response' protocol for initial actions, akin to an emergency services response, ensuring immediate containment and assessment. Encourage your team to channel stress into focused action through mindfulness techniques like tactical breathing. Keep a 'crisis journal' to record decisions, outcomes, and lessons—this will be invaluable for post-crisis analysis. And always lead by example; your team will mirror your composure.

Ante una crisis, es fundamental mantener la compostura y liderar con calma y determinación. Comunicaría claramente la situación al equipo, proporcionando orientación y apoyo para abordar los desafíos de manera efectiva. Fomentaría un ambiente de colaboración y confianza, alentando a los miembros del equipo a compartir ideas y trabajar juntos en la búsqueda de soluciones. Además, mantendría una actitud positiva y optimista, destacando el potencial de aprendizaje y crecimiento que puede surgir de la adversidad. Al liderar con resiliencia y empatía, inspiraría confianza en el equipo y promovería la capacidad de superar la crisis con éxito.

'Don't panic!' as well put from Douglas Adams, 'Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. The struggle, I believe, is at the intersection of 'I must show strength' and 'curling into a ball'. Projecting too much of the first one, and your team might think you are disconnected from reality. Too much of the second one, and your team will run away. Walking the fine line is the strength your team needs from you. Strength comes from being able to accept and communicate the pain/stress of the situation, and your confidence in the future. The two need co-exist in your communication, in your actions.

I do an exercise that always works for me to stay calm and act appropriately. I try to get out of the stress spiral by thinking that I'm watching the game from the stands, that helps me see the entire forest without being directly involved. Then I make the decisions and execute them.

Communicate to your audience's needs, not how you like to communicate. The makeup of your team is important, some are more data driven, some are not, some like to talk, some like to listen. How well you navigate this mix is how well you are understood. Another point be aware of who you are. Introverts for example think to talk, so as an introvert, the energy to get a communication going is more demanding, which in turn might make you communicate less. It's also possible you don't enjoy repeating yourself, don't fall for the trap: 'if they were paying attention they would know by now' - the onus is on the communicator to be understood.

Implement a Crisis Collaboration Board, a platform that allows team members to share information, thoughts, and solutions in any given situation. With this digital platform, cohesive decentralization of decision-making is actually possible. Transparency and group problem-solving are fostered when team members submit updates, suggestions, and actions taken. If you're a leader, you can make this platform work by pointing people in the right direction when you need to, but you should also push for people to think creatively and independently. This innovative method makes use of technology to speed up decision-making and communication, guaranteeing a coordinated reaction while keeping calm under pressure.

Decide early on the triage algorithm. Time is of the essence in a crisis. Even the best war time leaders didn't make all the calls, but they were part of all the calls they needed to be in. A clear triage system enables you to focus the limited time and resources you have. Triage, as a tree (leaves, branches, trunk, and roots). The roots are the guiding principles, which you own. The trunk in a crisis are the strategic decisions for the current situation, you are the decision maker, with the team being consulted. Then you need to decide what is the making of branches and leave decisions. You want to optimiez for branches and leave to be a good filter, so your team know when to raise things as a team or to you directly, and when not.

In a crisis situation, prioritizing composure and clear thinking is paramount for effective leadership. A calm and objective approach allows for a thorough assessment of the problem and the development of well-considered solutions. Remember, your team relies on your leadership especially during challenging times. By maintaining composure, you can instill confidence and guide your team through the crisis. For further exploration of crisis leadership: Crisis Leadership: How to Lead in Times of Crisis, Threat and Uncertainty by Tim Johnson. Extreme Crisis Leadership: A Handbook for Leading Through the Unpredictable by Charles Casto.

1. Take a breath (calm your mind). 2. Assess the situation (gather info). 3. Open communication (brief team clearly, answer questions). 4. Delegate & prioritize (assign tasks, focus on key issues). 5. Team support (show empathy, offer resources).