You're leading a team through a crisis. What do you need to keep in mind?

Según mi experiencia en los primeros minutos de una crisis, es muy importante cautelar la información. Cómo se comunica y manejar el nivel de profundidad de la información, especialmente cuando no se tiene estimado el impacto ni las causas. El comunicar correctamente, permite por un lado trasmitir claridad y control sobre lo que está ocurriendo. En este punto es muy importante asesorarnos para no cometer errores típicos como bajar perfil de la situación, lo que puede impactar en la capacidad de respuestas o ayudas que posteriormente necesitaremos. No se trata de ser alarmistas, sino de informar hasta el nivel de profundidad que conocemos sin especular y trazar la línea de quienes son los convocados para abordar la crisis.

It is also crucial to understand that whatever actions are in place in response to the crisis needs to evaluated in terms of its impact right now and what impact it may have in the future (and of course, taking measures to address them in time). Your ability in cascading down the information accordingly with your team and/or stakeholders would need to be doubled with the directions and objectives given to come out of the crisis. There will be things that you COULD do, and there will be things that you SHOULD do. Your directions and action points in addressing the crisis would be a balance of the two with (of course) more emphasis on things that should be done on resolving the crisis.

In leading a team through a crisis, first assess the situation comprehensively. Understand the cause, impact on the team and stakeholders, and potential outcomes. Identify risks, opportunities, and resources to prioritize actions and communicate effectively. My experience has taught me that clarity in understanding the crisis context enables more strategic decision-making and fosters team resilience.

En mi trayectoria profesional, he liderado varias crisis, por ejemplo; crisis climáticas, riesgos a la infraestructuras, fatalidades, conflictos laborales, etc. La formación de comités de crisis es fundamental, planificar las tareas y trabajos a desarrollar durante la crisis permite tener un proceso ordenado, reuniendo todos los antecedentes, realizar buenos análisis, planes de acción inmediatos, determinar bien las causas raíces de la crisis y concluir en buenos planes de acción futuros, el liderazgo siempre debe estar presente, llamando a la calma, fomentando el trabajo en equipo, siendo empático escuchando todas las ideas, siendo consecuente y cercano con todas las personas, predicar con el ejemplo y teniendo siempre liderazgo visible.

Toda e qualquer situa??o de crise deve ser avaliada criteriosamente, é impossível falar em solu??es sem conhecer as reais condi??es e as causas. é de suma importancia fazer a análise de perigos e riscos que envolvem os pontos chaves da crise, estabelecer um planejamento e consequente plano de execu??o. Neste plano deve constar o passo a passo, os custos, os responsáveis e o prazo de execu??o.

Crisis is compounded by the chaos of lack of information and the dissemination of unverified information. When not properly informed or kept in the dark, team will look for information and will latch onto whatever they find that makes sense or what little they have and make up the rest, by themselves or with others, in the Pacific we call that the ‘coconut wireless’. Communication with clarity and doing so frequently will establish that your channel is the one source of truth during crisis, it prevents the pain of managing the extra chaos from misinformation. We must remember, poorly informed people make poor decisions. It is the solemn duty of a leader to shine the beacon of clarity to help transition crisis back to normality.

Effective communication during a crisis involves frequent updates, clear information, and active listening. Keep your team informed about the situation, plans, and any changes. Address concerns promptly, acknowledge emotions, and offer support. Use various channels like emails, meetings, and messaging apps to ensure everyone stays connected and informed. Transparency and empathy build trust and solidarity, fostering a sense of unity and purpose within the team.

I can't stress enough how communication plays a pivotal role during a crisis. But the first thing you have to do is to remain calm. I've just led my team through a massive and sudden crisis and the first order of business is that, as a leader, you have to process the crisis yourself and analyze the situation before conveying information. People will have questions and you won't have all the answers but as long as you remain calm and transparent, people will recognize this. Make frequent updates and understand your team priorities. Put yourself in their position: what would you be worried about? That should be your focus. Communication is essential, and even if all you have are bad news people will appreciate your honesty and transparency.

Ser claro e honesto com a equipe é o melhor caminho para evitar o caos entre os liderados. Compartilhe as informa??es que forem passíveis de serem compartilhadas, procure ouvir com aten??o às inseguran?as e lidere pela transparência em um momento de crise. A comunica??o bem feita é sempre uma boa saída.

Every day we deal with situation that cause challenges. Having many years of experience in in operations and development has helped develop approaches. First, understand the problem. Many times, we jump all over the place with too much information and get lost on the real root cause of what is going on. Second, evaluate impact and reduce as quickly as possible. Third, communicate both external (customer/business partners) and internal to help navigate a situation. Fourth drive to resolution as quickly as possible to reduce the crisis. Pulling in experts resolve situations quickly but if you don't have your junior associates involved to help, they will never develop into your experts.

In a crisis, along with communication and listening, it becomes important for the leader to give clarity of direction to the team. It can come in the form of defining the roles of the team members, providing the required resources, and empowering them with enough information to deliver on their tasks with ease. A regular check, for tasks completed and feedback on the activity will also go a long way.

During times of crisis it is important to reassure the team that "this to shall pass". If the team works togather and focus on positive outcomes they will be able to succeed. The leaders can not waller in the pity of failure but project a positive attitude.

We must always remember as leaders that how a crisis impacts us is not how new teammates get impacted. Asking your team to repeat instructions given gives you an opportunity to clarify potential misunderstandings on the instructions saving tons of time. You should always "consider" the rookies diminished by 30% on capacity.

Effective crisis management involves planning, quick thinking and adaptability. Must make timely decisions, provide direct and clear instructions and inspire and motivate the team.

En un momento de crisis e incertidumbre es necesario levantar la mirada para tener una visión más alta que la que permite el momento apremiante, una vez que se tiene perspectiva la innovación es la herramienta creativa que permitirá encontrar una nueva forma de alcanzar las metas.

During crises, it's common to encounter unforeseen developments and obstacles that can disrupt even the most well-thought-out plans. Therefore, it's imperative to be ready to pivot and modify your strategies accordingly. Maintaining flexibility is key; it allows you to respond swiftly and effectively to evolving circumstances. Embrace adaptability as a core principle, enabling you to navigate through uncertain terrain with ease. Stay vigilant for any changes in the situation, and be prepared to reassess your approach as needed. By remaining agile in your decision-making process, you can steer your team through the challenges posed by the crisis while maximizing opportunities for success.

Keeping calm, having clear vision, be able to delegate properly and generating awareness are key attributes. Communication skills can be honed by training which also builds confidence and teamwork in dealing with the unexpected.

During the challenging times of the pandemic, my team embraced adaptability and supportiveness as key pillars of our approach. We swiftly transitioned to collaborative tools, ensuring seamless workflow despite the crisis. Recognising the diverse circumstances of each team member, I restructured our meetings to foster inclusivity and empowerment, creating a safe space for open dialogue. Providing flexibility in work arrangements allowed everyone to navigate their unique lifestyles effectively. As a leader, empathy played a pivotal role in understanding and accommodating individual needs. This experience reaffirmed the importance of adaptability and supportive leadership in navigating crises and fostering resilience within teams.

No debemos creer que por ser "líderes de equipo", somos nosotros los que lo sabemos todo. Debemos estar dispuestos a escuchar ideas y propuestas nuevas. Al igual que a nosotros alguna vez nos dieron la oportunidad de desarrollarnos, hay que ofrecérselo al resto. La colaboración en un equipo es básica y hay que reconocer cuando una idea es buena. También si algo necesita mejorar, hay que comentarlo.

The importance of pre-crisis planning and protocols so all the team have structure and guidance even when the unexpected happens. Plan for worse case scenario, run regular briefings to identify crisis early, run team response simulations. Make sure everyone knows their role and the emergency response plan.

Be flexible to change and have a plan B. This can be executed when you have a So What If scenario. If X is not at the incident or crisis event. So what, who will step in. This gives flexibility to respond without the missing member. Be prepared to change positions within the organisation as you will still need to meet your objectives if you are missing a team member. Above all, embrace change when it happens and work together. Team collaboration is ultimately important during crisis response.

This is so important when leading a team during the crisis. The team goes as the leader goes. What I mean is that your tem will be looking for guidance, calm and managing each issue as it comes. What doesn't work is when the leader becomes tyrannical, demanding or autocratic during the crisis. It is critical to maintain your composure and lead your team with professionalism and empathy. People will become tired, frustrated or even traumatized. The leader needs to be aware of these possibilities. If you are a well exercised and experienced team then the leader will be much more aware of each person's abilities or sensitivities. That is why pre-crisis planning is so important. Lastly...look after yourself! You get tired too.

Desde mi experiencia, ha sido todo un reto ser coherente entre mis palabras y acciones, demostrar integridad, humildad y empatía, y ser un modelo a seguir para mis colaboradores . Es fundamental comunicar claramente los valores y expectativas, y estar dispuesto a admitir errores y aprender de ellos. La coherencia y ser auténtico son clave.

Lead by example by demonstrating resilience, composure, and positivity in the face of adversity. Your demeanor and actions set the tone for the team's response to the crisis and influence their morale and motivation. Show empathy, integrity, and determination as you navigate through challenges together, inspiring your team to stay focused and committed to achieving common goals.

Understand the crisis situation and figure out the root cause while communicating the same to the team bringing a transparent and supportive environment. Then work on a solution that works best for the team while leading by example

I think it is important to first understand that the crisis has not only an impact on the team but the organization as a whole. Taking ownership and leading by example are two important motivating factors to be able to go through a crisis. The availability of a manager is critical to provide guidance, support and sometimes also jump into the action with his team. That being said I truly believe that the Human factor is the key point: Being able to set up a game plan that will suit all the attributes of your team members for more efficient results. Building trust, assisting those who are in need will speak volumes and strengthen the team spirit coming out of this crisis.

Distribute the authorities among team during crisis which allow Team Members to take responsibilities, utltimetly you empower them and that builds confidence handles and par the crisis situation.

You must know your team’s abilities. If the crisis out matches their skill set and expertise, you may be forced into a defensive posture. An aggressive push in a crisis with a team that isn’t ready could have significant consequences. First, you may inadvertently worsen the crisis’ impacts. Second, you could destroy the team. A major defeat to an inexperienced team could be fatal to their operational confidence - a virus infecting their every decision moving ahead. A major defeat may also lead to turnover, lead to a new team at the next crisis… rinse and repeat. Teams need to notch out a few wins before being ready to accept and move forward from defeat. Give wins where you can. Go defensive if you must. Know your team BEFORE the crisis.

Every person has a unique set of experiences and values that shape their perspective of the world. This means that what works for one team member to manage stress and navigate through change might not be effective for another. It is crucial to recognize and respect these individual differences and approach each team member with a personalized plan that caters to their specific needs. This requires open and honest communication to gain a better understanding of their unique situation and provide support accordingly. By adopting an individualized approach, you can help your team members feel valued, heard, and empowered to overcome any challenges they may face.