AT some point, you are going to experience a crisis at work.
There isn't a single person or business that has not gone through a bumpy spell.
It is essential to know how to manage these rough patches.
Panicking is not the solution, regardless of the scale of the crisis. You have to maintain and manage your emotions, and learn to respond calmly. With the right mindset resolving a crisis, whilst not being easy, can be done.
Start by identifying the root cause of the crisis. This is the first thing you have to do. Assess the situation, and identify the root cause. You might not arrive at the cause right away, but you need to keep asking questions and digging through the facts until you find it. Once you've identified the cause of the crisis, take responsibility, and make efforts to resolve the issue. Do not make excuses because holding yourself accountable is a vital personal leadership trait.
If you decide, having assessed the situation properly that the problem was caused by another employee, you will need to let them know as soon as possible. Speak with them and explain what you have found out. Then work on being a solution partner.
Next, work on your communication skills. As soon as you have identified the problem, you will need to explain the situation to your stakeholders. You must be open and honest. It is tempting to gloss over the problem, and reassure people that everything is fine, especially when you want to maintain your own good image. But this can go wrong.
If you haven't figured a solution, do not pretend there is one just for good optics. Do not succumb to downplaying risks. This is simply a precaution because if the crisis escalates and you have made promises you could not keep, it will only cause resentment and anger.
There will always be scenarios where you can't tell people everything. But if you are courteous of everyone's time, and answer questions as honestly as you can, you can manage things effectively.
As you communicate, you will need a plan. Regardless of the scale of a crisis, you will have to maintain regular contact with everyone involved. Whether it is the shareholders, the customers, the public, or your workplace colleagues, keeping everyone in the loop is vital. Regularly meetings or communiqués to update on developments will boost everyone's morale.
Remember to stay organised throughout the crisis. You must keep a clear head. Resolving a crisis can be a very stressful experience, and you will inevitably find yourself with many new responsibilities to handle. This is why organising your tasks becomes critical.
Staying on top of your responsibilities is delicate especially when your stakeholders want answers urgently, and you've got a dozen emails to respond to. But if you want to reassure everyone that the situation is under control, you must stay organized.
So, start delegating jobs, group all your essential documents in a one safe location, and update your notes and thoughts regularly. Lots of little tasks like this will help manage your personal stress levels. Personal stress goes up stratospherically in a crisis. It affects your mental clarity and your health. Just remind yourself that the calmer you are, the more reassured your stakeholders, colleagues, and employees are that the situation is under control.
Be brave enough to share potential solutions with others.
As you generate potential solutions, share it with everyone. The feedback you receive will provide you some clarity on your next steps. It also offers an avenue for your colleagues and employees to make suggestions of their own. This develops a sense of ownership for everyone, of the crisis. More minds are needed in times like this.
You must accept that working your way out of a crisis is often a team effort. Do not alienate your team or talk down to them. Sharing ideas and working on solutions together is way to make people feel valued. Collaboration and trust are your "partners" in a crisis. Your team will notice you micromanaging them, but they will also notice when you put faith in their ability to handle something.
Be adaptable all the time. Managing a team through a crisis is a matter of thinking on your feet. There will be times when things only seem to be getting worse. Resist the urge to surrender to your own emotional meltdowns. Throwing the laptop against the wall will not resolve your crisis.
As the situation develops, you have to stay flexible. If you are at a loss about what to do, look at how other organisations have handled similar situations. You can learn from them. And finally, if after doing all the above, you still do not see a solution, seek outside help.
Being able to manage a crisis effectively, increases your personal value exponentially.
