HOW TO LEAD IN A CRISIS

Quite often, clients come to us asking how they should deal with a crisis, so we thought we’d try and answer some important questions – how should you lead in a crisis? Do you have a crisis management strategy in place? How do you go about putting one together?

A crisis, whether big or small, needs a proper plan in place. A crisis could be a staff conflict, a deal which has fallen through, a health and safety issue, a PR disaster; anything that requires some form of crisis management.

A crisis happens. Now what?

First, remain calm and take a moment to consider your options. There is no point steaming ahead with no logical strategy in place, as this could lead to more issues further down the line. Now is the time to carefully identify and prioritise key problems so you can begin to tackle them step-by-step.

1. Get a crisis team and strategy in place
We hope by the time a crisis happens, you already have a crisis team and strategy in place, but if not, get one together. Who are the best people to deal with a crisis? Pick out your best communicators and those who work well under pressure. Sometimes you can’t plan for everything, but as long as you have a strong team in place, you will be well equipped to handle the situation no matter what it is. Having a detailed and clear manual is important whether you’re dealing with a small staff conflict or whether you’re facing a huge health and safety issue.

2. Respond quickly and effectively
No matter the situation, as a leader, people are relying on you to respond quickly. But it’s also important to consider HOW you are going to respond. Whether it’s a personal issue or a PR crisis, it can sometimes be hard to get the right balance. How can you be decisive yet empathetic? You cannot predict when a crisis will happen or what to say, so often a decision based on gut feeling is a good way to go. Whatever the outcome, be honest and open with all of your stakeholders.

3. Communicate with your employees
Sometimes leaders get so wrapped up in handling a crisis and managing outside influences that they forget to communicate properly with their most important asset: their employees. When a crisis happens, it is the most important time to protect your company and your employees. Making sure they are aware of the situation and how you plan to overcome it will restore faith and ensure employees remain happy.

It is down to leaders to take control and make fair, justified decisions no matter the situation. Need help? Get in touch.