Managing Emotions and Maintaining Influence During Challenging Times: An Authentic Leadership Guide for Leaders (A 7-step guide)

1. Pause and Process: Create Space for Reflection

Why it Matters: In times of change or uncertainty, your emotional response directly influences your team’s perception and trust in you as a leader. Taking a pause allows you to gain clarity before reacting.

It was a sunny day in Isreal in 2014, where I and my family were living and working. Our teams there were attending a staff meeting when suddenly the air raid alarms began to sound, you could feel the tension rise as we all moved as quickly and as orderly as we could to the nearest shelter, seeking to stay safe in the process, while praying the systems in place were able to intercept the incoming missiles that were now on their way to where our teams were working. Thankfully, every missile fired at us that day, was intercepted and we were able to return to work a few minutes later….but that same scenario was repeated several more times throughout that day.

After that first missile attack, myself and my fellow leader on the ground needed to make a decision that required a quick thought-filled action, not just a reaction, to ensure that the many different competing priorities were considered appropriately (safety for our team members, continuity of the program and suppliers we were working with, our own families safety, and more). Talking with our teams, we could hear similar competing priorities for our team members, especially their concern for their families and their safety. Seeing fear and anxiety in the eyes of your team members can cause you to react to their emotions at that moment, especially if you are already “triggered” yourself.

It is in moments like these, though not all may be that extreme, that we as leaders, will rise to the level of our training. Knowing what to do when a crisis or challenging times arise, and having a clear plan and steps to follow will allow you as a leader, to be the influence and stability your team needs as they process the impact of the crisis.

What training have you taken that helps you lead well through crisis?

It is in these moments, that the first step you as a leader need to take, is to gain situational awareness, gather facts, regulate emotions, and just breathe. This is your moment to truly lead, and it is in these moments that your team needs you to be stable in your response.

How to Do It: When you feel a strong emotion, take a few moments to:

• Breathe deeply. Breathing deeply will allow your body to utilize the oxygen in your bloodstream to help move the cortisol (fight, flight, or freeze chemical) out of your system and help clear your thinking.
• Drinking extra water will also help in these moments as well.
• Name the emotions you’re feeling —whether it's frustration, concern, or even hope.
• Journaling or noting down your thoughts can be helpful to organize your mindset and help you regain a sense of control, which is critical to leading in times of crisis.

Reflection Exercise:

Ask yourself, "What am I feeling (emotions) right now, and why?"

It’s okay to feel a range of emotions, and most of us will, but the aim here is to capture what you are feeling and identify the “why” you are feeling this way so that you can decide your next best step based on data versus just emotions.

After you have your list of emotions, you can ask yourself a few more questions like:

• What triggered this emotion?
• What are the facts surrounding the trigger?
• Are the facts or information something that is within my circle of control?
• ++If Yes, what is my next best step?
• ++If No, my next best step to process this emotion is…. (maybe to tell myself the truth about what is in my control, take a deep breath, and let the emotion run itself out (Not in public or on social media) till I regain my composure.
• Create one or two solutions for your next step, then take appropriate action keeping in mind, that the words and actions you take, as a leader, do not just represent yourself, but they represent the company you work for, so don’t rush this part of the process.

In regards to leading, your goal in this first step is to SEPARATE (Personal Feelings) from (Professional Actions).

What has been your go-to First Step when facing crisis or challenging times at work?

Stay tuned for the next step coming tomorrow.

#authenticleadership #crisisleadership