Whether at work or in one’s personal life, crises can happen. So, can you prepare for it?
Click start to play today’s Spell It, where we learn how to handle a ‘crisis’.
After conducting over 21,000 leadership assessments among C-suite executives, US-based leadership advisory firm ghSMART found that leaders need to cultivate four behaviours in order to triumph in such critical moments. Here are the four strategies, according to an April 2020 report in US-based business news website Harvard Business Review:
1. Make choices with speed over precision
In crises, the situation can change by the day or even the hour. Efficient leaders assess the information available to them, quickly figure out what matters the most, and make decisions with conviction. It’s in times like these that ‘analysis paralysis’ can easily occur – emotions run high, anxiety reigns and cognitive overload looms. Breaking through the panic-streaked inertia with rapid decision-making helps.
2. Adapt
Strong leaders don’t mind admitting what they don’t know. In fact, they’ll go a step further and seek information from different sources, and even bring in outside expertise when needed. In order to get ahead of challenges, leaders should prioritise, develop new plans and strengthen their connections with their employees or other stakeholders. Their growth mindset allows them to constantly learn and put their learnings into practice. If any mistakes are made along the way, it’s all par for the course – failing to act is much worse.
3. Deliver consistently and reliably
The best leaders aren’t afraid to take ownership in a crisis, even if many of the challenges they face lie outside their area of control. By creating a culture of accountability, they can set metrics to measure performance and stay on top of their daily dashboard of priorities.
4. Engage with the team
Being able to engage and motivate your team, even as you understand their circumstances and challenges, can help you communicate important new objectives and data. Don’t hesitate to connect with individual team members, reach out when there’s a communication breakdown, and ask for help when needed. Celebrate obstacles the team has overcome together, and amplify positive messages to keep your team productive and motivated in times of crises.
What do you think of these tactics to overcome crises? Play today’s Spell It and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
