Matcha Extreme

 

As a young manager, I was embroiled in a major crisis that captured the attention of not only the partners in the company but also its CEO.  I, like many of my colleagues, was nervous about the crisis, its impact on our clients, and my job situation at the company.  There was a very senior partner who was tasked by the CEO with taking charge of running the company during the crisis.  It took us a year to make our way out of the crisis.  And we all learned some valuable coins.  

  I thought I was a good leader before the crisis.  Now I realize how naive I am in evaluating my leadership skills.  That experience, while very painful, was an inflection point in setting me on the path to becoming a better leader.

  As a result of these and other crises I've been through, I've learned several very valuable principles that I adhere to when in crisis mode, as follows:

•   The leader may not know all the steps to get out of the crisis, but he always focuses on the team at the end of the game and what needs to be done next.

•   You are likely to be in the least bad situation when evaluating alternatives to crisis resolution.  It's not about the best alternative, but the one that represents the least amount of loss.

•   The behavior of the leader will permeate the team.  If the leader is tense, the team will be tense.  If the leader is calm and focused, the team will be calm and focused (or at least less tense).

•   Regular, concise and frank communication is crucial.  When there are communication gaps, team members and other stakeholders will write text in their heads.

•   Time and time again I have seen crises separating great leaders from mediocre leaders.  If you want to get to the top of the driving pile during a crisis, be sure to note the following tips:

1.    Acknowledging the crisis and its consequences - In the midst of a crisis, there may be different opinions about what a crisis is, whether or not it is a real crisis, or the consequences of not addressing the crisis.  Make sure there is agreement to avoid the lingering question of what will happen if the crisis is not addressed.
2.    Make sure the right people are working in a crisis - Many crisis situations involve withdrawing people from existing work assignments to resolve a crisis.  There will always be a response, especially if resetting someone means another ball may be dropped.  Remember that you are working on the least bad alternative, and while something else may slip, not addressing the crisis may be worse.
3.    Get agreement on what success looks like In the midst of a crisis, a leader needs to ensure that all appropriate stakeholders have a clear understanding of what success in addressing a crisis looks like.  The greatest success in most cases may mean a return to the status quo before the crisis, or to a state of least loss.  Success rarely means an improvement in the status quo.  It is important to align everyone's expectations for success.
4.    Leading What/Who/When - It is important that you are very specific about what needs to be done, that the specific person (not named after or team) is responsible for delivery, and a specific date (and time as needed) for completion.  Keep a playlist of actions, marking them as complete once you're done.  It is important for the team to see progress and also highlight where some might fall in the tasks.
5.    Use a calm, reliable voice - I've done this many times during crises.  When others run like headless chickens, a true leader maintains a calm and reliable demeanor.  Nervous team members will react positively to a leader who appears controlling and shows clear thinking.  Be careful not to give the impression that you are like "Nero is messing around while Rome is burning."  Show appropriate urgency, just do it calmly and with authority.
6.   Replace stress with focus - During a particularly big crisis where I was driving the solution, an executive asked me if I was nervous.  I told him, "You're paying me to be focused and not nervous."  I've heard many leaders over the years use the phrase "I'm nervous about this" when faced with an uncomfortable situation.  Followers don't want to see you nervous;  Nervous people tend to do irrational things.  Remove the term nervous from your vocabulary and replace it with a focused word.
7.      Securing the next meeting to follow up on actions - Like I said, a great leader always knows what to do next.  Ensure there is timely follow-up as the team meets to review actions and assess next steps.  While the tempo of the re-meeting may change as the crisis drags on, there should always be the phrase "let's meet again at (date/time)".
8.   Set up the Situation Room - Designate a physical or virtual place where people can go to see pending work items and team members can work (if appropriate).  It's also a good idea for you as a leader to hang out in the parking lot periodically to show the rest of the team that you're there.
9.   Establish a regular, concise, and candid rhythm for communication – depending on the extent of the crisis, make sure you have a communication plan in place about who needs to be informed, what needs to be known, and the frequency of communication.  and the mediator (e-mail, meeting, etc.).
10.    Inspiring the team realistically - In the early stages of a crisis, people need reassurance from the leader that they will get through the crisis.  The important thing here is to be realistic in your reassurance.  While there may be some carnage left in the aftermath of the crisis, you have to admit that things are going to be difficult, but the team needs to come together and work on the problem.  
11.    Solve the problem first, assess accountability for the problem later - when a crisis arises, many will start pointing fingers at who they think is responsible.  While it is important to understand the root causes of a problem and put things in place to avoid it happening later, wasting time pointing fingers while a crisis rages is not the time to do so.  Get clarity on the crisis, what success looks like, and what needs to be done first.  Once the flames subside, focus on accountability and corrective actions.

         Oh crises happen.  The next time one raises their ugly head, be the quietest in the room and put these commanding actions in place to navigate through the crisis.