How to navigate external influence on your business operations
Watching the situation in Israel and Palestine unfold and seeing the world react reminded me of the important role leaders play in taking a proactive stance in ensuring the well-being of their team and organization. Even if your team is not directly or personally affected, these events can have a profound impact on our mental health and productivity.
It may seem easier to take a back seat and remain silent in order to not say the wrong thing, take a side or let your political view impact your business. But actually, it’s in times of crisis when strong leaders need to step up, acknowledge these challenges, and guide their teams through these scary and unpredictable times.
Acknowledging the impact of a crisis internally is not only about immediate productivity but also about fostering a culture of safety, empathy, and compassion. It’s about creating an environment where everyone in the organization cares about each other as fellow human beings.
As a leader here are some steps you can take to guide your team in times of crisis.
Connecting with Your People
First, you need to foster a culture of openness. Reach out, check on your team’s well-being, and offer support. Depending on the size of your company the approach here will be different but you want to address what is happening to the entire organization. Let your team know that your door is always open and make sure that other leaders in the business share this approach.
Understand how your team is affected and find ways in which you can support them. This could be via more flexible working hours, time off, extended deadlines or something else. The point is to listen and proactively offer support. Your empathetic approach will not only ease concerns but will also build trust and respect within your team.
Clear Direction amidst Chaos
As a leader, your team looks up to you for direction. Providing clear, concise, and actionable objectives during uncertain times creates a sense of purpose. It helps in cutting through the chaos and enabling your team to focus on achievable targets. Regular updates on the situation and adaptive strategies keep everyone aligned and moving toward common goals.
However, during times of chaos and uncertainty, you will need to stay agile and make quick changes. A way to execute this is to increase communication cadences and involve your team. If you are thinking of making a pivot, include your team in the brainstorming and strategy process.
Scenario Planning
Crises often bring a tide of unpredictability. Consider how the crisis might influence your organization’s traction in the market. Undergo a market analysis to gauge the effects on your target markets and customer segments (depending on your industry). Evaluate the impact on your supply chain, operations, financial position, and cash flow projections. Based on this you can develop contingency plans to address potential challenges and uncertainties. Let your team know that you are doing an analysis and ask for their feedback and input. Involving the team and making them feel heard will not only give you more ideas and viewpoints but also create trust.
We can’t always control our circumstances, but we can control how we react and deal with situations. How a leader responds in a time of crisis is an immediate reflection of company culture and something your team will remember.
