How do you maintain trust and credibility with your team and clients during a crisis?

Maintaining trust and credibility during a crisis involves clear communication and reliability. For example, during a major project issue, I kept my team and clients informed with regular updates, even if the news wasn't positive. I addressed their concerns promptly and provided actionable steps to resolve the problem. I also ensured that my promises were realistic and delivered on time. By being transparent and showing commitment to finding solutions, I reinforced my trustworthiness and kept confidence high among both my team and clients.

The beginning of a crisis can unleash feelings of terror, worry and aggravation. As a leader; it is essential to display understanding towards people’s feelings and help them especially during these tough times. Therefore, active listening is required on their worries from both employees’ and customers’ angles, appreciation for the hard work they do should come from you while offering assistance at all times would not be any bad either. This way, they will know that you are interested in them more than just being workers or clients which creates a nurturing atmosphere.

Communicate Early and Often: Share updates regularly to keep everyone informed and reduce uncertainty. Acknowledge Challenges: Recognize the issues at hand and demonstrate a clear understanding of the situation. Provide Clear Solutions: Offer practical steps and plans to address the crisis, showing that you're actively working on solutions. Show Transparency: Be honest about what you know and don’t know, and how you're handling the situation. Stay Flexible: Adjust strategies as new information emerges, and be willing to pivot to meet changing needs. This approach helps build confidence and trust with both your team and clients.

I find that being prepared with a plan for contingencies ahead of any crisis gives a team confidence that their leaders are prepared for anything that could happen.

How do you keep trust intact when everything else seems uncertain? Start by being transparent: openly discuss the current challenges and provide honest, regular updates. This keeps everyone informed and involved, preventing rumors and anxiety from undermining trust. Acknowledge the problem—admitting obvious negative facts will enhance your credibility, as it shows you’re honest and not prone to making unreliable promises. Lead with empathy. Recognize and address the personal and professional concerns of your team and clients, demonstrating that your leadership extends beyond business outcomes to genuinely caring for their well-being and achieving the best possible outcome for everyone under the adverse counditions.

One thing that I found helpful is to allow open space for questions while being honest and empathetic. It's okay if you don't have all the answers, but communication and follow up are keys to helping others through a crisis. So if you don't know an answer, make sure you make your best effort to track an answer down.