Riding the waves: Leading through a crisis

CVL Senior Consultant and CEO, Tracy Street, shares her advice for leaders in times of uncertainty

In a crisis, activity comes in waves. So, while there is an initial sprint of activity required to stabilise the crisis, successful leaders recognise they are in a marathon and look to set up a sustainable rhythm of response.

“Successful leaders recognise they are in a marathon and look to set up a sustainable rhythm of response.”

The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique crisis, in that it has comprehensively affected the entire world at the same time. This makes predicting the impacts and recovery path more difficult and is one of the reasons leaders can expect waves of response activity – as things become clearer, so will the responses needed.

There is one aspect of crisis leadership that is the same however, pressure. The scale and duration of this crisis means that leaders will need to navigate complexity and uncertainty for some time. There will be many demands on leaders and decisions and plans will continue to evolve at pace. Below, we’ve outlined three key areas of focus to help leaders during this first wave.

Manage complacency

There is a danger of people becoming complacent about the measures that have been put in place to protect people and businesses. For most, the worst has not happened, and human nature can be to ease off on discipline in these circumstances. 

Role model expectations: As a leader, go out of your way to visibly role model expectations. Be visible and consistent.

Recognise efforts: Notice and name what is working well and be vigilant in catching people doing things right. Thank individuals and teams regularly, reminding them how their actions are making a difference. 

Be relentless: Culture is formed by norms.  How are you making sure your new operating expectations are norms? Think about how you reinforce your new norms in every conversation.  What questions might you ask? What topics are the right reinforcement?

Reduce fatigue

The start of a crisis has typically required intensive levels of work for leaders - both intellectual and emotional. People can sustain intense pressure for short periods only, after that it becomes stressful and if not managed well over time can push people into distress.  This is an individual process and can vary over time. 

Be kind to yourself: To be there for others you must be at your best. Avoid creating pressure for yourself through your own negative self-talk or judgements. Do not judge yourself on how you see others coping.

Focus on the fundamentals of resilience: Ensure you and your team are looking after yourselves. Focus on the fundamentals – sleep, diet and exercise. Also, make sure you adjust your working rhythms to be healthy. You may consider how you’re integrating breaks, laughter, moments of vulnerability and praise. 

Be kind to others: Make sure you are creating space to be there for your people. You will have the ability to see stress building earlier and more clearly than others. Invest time in connecting and having deep check-in conversations. Expect all your people leaders to be doing this well.   

Be prepared to evolve and change

In a crisis, quick decisions are needed and progress is more important than perfection.  This requires regular checking and testing to ensure what you have in place is working, after the initial rush of a crisis, deeper reflective practices must be encouraged. 

Reflect and refine: Hit pause, gather insights and test that what you have in place will work well in the next phase of the crisis. Test whether your changes are sustainable. Discover from others their experiences to inform your next phase of decision making and plans.

Communicate, communicate, communicate: In times of change people need to hear the message many, many times. After the rush of our initial response, people will need more of the big picture in their communications. What does good look like? Why is this important? What does it mean for me? What do I need to do differently? These types of questions will help address communication needs.

Adjust your leadership style: A crisis is one of the few situations where a directive leadership style is essential to bring about positive results. Be aware that as the situation changes so too does the leadership approaches for success. Make sure you are testing your style and dialling back up to visionary, coaching and affiliative leadership styles as required.