Crisis Leadership: What Your Managers Need from You
05/12/2022
Helping our clients work through a major crisis provides us a unique opportunity to share the lessons that others—and ourselves—have learned during difficult times. These are situations where we need to have many tools in our toolbox and share them at the appropriate time.
As we continue to help them understand different aspects of leading during a crisis, an important group of individuals to focus on is their management staff. Whether they are referred to as supervisors, foremen or managers, their needs in a crisis are the same.
Here are a few things to share with them as you help them confirm they have shown appropriate levels of appreciation:
Don Tyler
Helping our clients work through a major crisis provides us a unique opportunity to share the lessons that others—and ourselves—have learned during difficult times. These are situations where we need to have many tools in our toolbox and share them at the appropriate time.
As we continue to help them understand different aspects of leading during a crisis, an important group of individuals to focus on is their management staff. Whether they are referred to as supervisors, foremen or managers, their needs in a crisis are the same.
Perhaps they have done their best to show them appreciation to this point, and yet it would be advisable to take a few minutes with each one and express their gratefulness for all their hard work, the disruptions they have managed through, assisting employees while at the same time taking care of their own families, and simply being there day in and day out.
Here are a few things to share with them as you help them confirm they have shown appropriate levels of appreciation:
1. They should go to each manager’s department while all their employees are there, mention everyone’s hard work, and talk specifically about the things you have seen them do. The more specific your praise, the more they will remember what you said.
2. Talk about how the situation has progressed to this point, what you think is coming next, and anything else that will give them a sense of what to expect and how to plan accordingly in their area of the business.
3. Ask them questions to get their feedback on how the crisis management strategy has gone thus far, what they have learned, and any suggestions they have moving forward. Many seasoned managers, supervisors and foremen very much appreciate an opportunity to share their personal insights and ideas with upper management. For these individuals with 15, 20 or more years of experience, few things give them more sense of value to the company than to be asked their opinion.
4. Ask for any problems or frustrations they are having with individuals, production issues or anything else and be sure to help them resolve that as quickly as possible. For the last few weeks they’ve been trying to deal with every issue on their own, not wanting to add more problems to your existing challenges. By now they might have some things that they just can’t figure out—such as an employee who has not stepped up during this time or is otherwise being difficult. Help them work through these issues.
Coach them on showing their appreciation on a regular basis. Make it a point to talk to them about this specific aspect of crisis leadership. It’s one of the best investments they can make in their people during these periods of difficulty.
Don Tyler
ASAC Member
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