A crisis is defined as a condition of instability that leads to a change. While leading, you may run into a crisis or two. Learning to lead through a crisis in a way that comforts employees and clients alike is an important skill to have. Here are some things you should be aware of when leading through a crisis:
Make Plans Before a Crisis Hits
Before a crisis even hits, you should be making plans. You’ll never be able to cover all possible crises, but a lot of situations can be covered by planning beforehand. Make a list of some of the most likely crises to happen and some of the least likely. Then, with the help of your employees, create plans to deal with each of these problems. This will help you to have smoother reactions to crises and will help your employees feel secure by knowing there are plans in place.
Communicate Clearly and Often
This includes communicating internally as well as with your clients. Both parties will want to know your plans for dealing with the crisis and all information you have about the crisis. You will want to address all worries and concerns with consistent updates and empathy. Don’t forget that your employees will be worried as well. Make sure that all your employees understand your plans and understand the situation completely. This will help people to have confidence in your actions.
Stay Calm
Being thrown into a crisis can be overwhelming and frightening. Staying calm will help you to deal with difficult decisions more logically and not rush through things. Take time to think about big decisions and make them based on facts. It’s easy to make decisions based on gut reactions, but in a crisis that can be harmful to your company. Staying calm and focusing on facts will help your company to continue on a logical course in the face of crisis.
Follow this advice to help you keep your company safe during a crisis.