“If you wish to know
what a man really is,
give him power.”
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
DEALING WITH CRISES
It’s important to be able to handle a crisis with composure. The bigger the crisis, the more important it is to cope properly with any fears, uncertainty, and stress you may be experiencing – not just in your relationships with others, but in your relationship with yourself. A crisis may strike suddenly, and it’s impossible to know how you’ll cope with it.
This may lead to fears, insecurity, and stress for those affected. Stress is an overwhelming feeling.
Fear is a taboo subject for managers and the higher the hierarchical level, the more important it is for managers to project a sense of composure and sovereignty.
Coaching in crises helps managers:
- master the crisis confidently with an appropriate mindset.
- provide guidance to others who are confused or upset to be able to deal with mood swings in the situation more easily.
- understand the function of fear and how to deal with it as well as to recognize masked or repressed fears.
- feel and project confidence, even when there is anxiety about the future and stress in the situation you’re coping with.
- become the director of their own lives and set the right priorities.
“It is not things that worry us, but the opinions we have of things.” (Epictetus)
DOWNLOAD:: ``Whoever dies of fear is also dead``. In: FAZ, Karriere, 29.04.2020DOWNLOAD: ``What should managers do in a crisis?``. In: FAZ, Karriere, 06.04.2020DOWNLOAD: Interview on dealing with crises, FAS (Sunday edition of FAZ) / ``Beruf und Chance`` supplement, 05.04.2020.
What can I do in my role as a leader in challenging times? What are the skills I’ll need in the future?
- Have and communicate a clear long-term mission:
Engage employees to contribute to this mission in a spirit of solidarity, even if tactical course corrections are necessary. A clear mission does not change when the current situation changes rapidly and frequently. - Act as a role model:
What do I want my employees to say about me when this crisis is over? What values do I want to exemplify, especially in this crisis? How can I encourage and provide guidance to others in this situation? - Ensure clarity, integrity, and transparency:
Communicate key facts openly and clearly. Admit when currently the planning timeframe is shortened or limited to just a few days. In a crisis, like a fire, there needs to be clarity in leadership and clear decision making, not a drawn-out discussion. A decision is better than no decision. - Act empathically and humanely:
Engage in the lives of others and show yourself as a human being at eye level to create a lived connectedness. - Communicate appreciation and build self-confidence:
Express gratitude as concretely as possible and express more appreciation. Remember success factors and strengths from crises in the past and activate them. What helped you cope with previous transformation processes and deal with uncertainty, for example becoming a father/mother, moving house, coping with difficult times at work, etc.