{"id":306,"date":"2020-03-31T11:57:51","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T10:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/?p=306"},"modified":"2021-11-24T14:40:17","modified_gmt":"2021-11-24T14:40:17","slug":"leading-teams-through-the-covid-19-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/leading-teams-through-the-covid-19-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Leading Teams Through Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<h6>\u201cImprovise, Adapt, Overcome.\u201d<br \/>\nOLD MILITARY ADAGE<\/h6>\n<figure class=\"alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-312\" src=\"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/leading-a-team-through-a-crisis-698.jpg\" alt=\"managing the team\" width=\"698\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/leading-a-team-through-a-crisis-698.jpg 698w, https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/leading-a-team-through-a-crisis-698-300x172.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"proper-planning-prevents-poor-performance\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#proper-planning-prevents-poor-performance\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>Proper planning prevents poor performance!<\/h2>\n<p>Successfully defusing a crisis situation requires a structured response in the form of a Crisis Management Plan (CMP). Such plans can essentially be viewed as a type of Change Management Programme. For sure the \u2018change\u2019 is unexpected, unwanted and damaging, but the essence of the situation is that we find ourselves at point A and want to get to point B as soon as we can. These CMP\u2019s can encompass the whole organisation and\/or simplified versions of a CMP can be produced for individual departments.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2018good\u2019 news is that Crisis\/Change Management Techniques are well understood, while the bad news is that those techniques are often poorly applied e.g. research by the Gartner group suggests that 28% of change efforts are abandoned before it is completed, and 80% are not used as initially planned or intended.<\/p>\n<p>In a crisis that sort of failure rate can\u2019t be tolerated. The successful execution of a Crisis Management Plan requires that leaders demonstrate confidence, commitment and courage. While the actions that come out of the plans themselves have to be quick, based on good data, detailed, and demonstrate a level of empathy for those affected by the crisis. There must also be the right frequency and level of communication to all key stakeholders based on clear, truthful, consistent messages.<\/p>\n<p>The main elements involved in doing this well are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Responding to the crisis with a sense of proportion<\/li>\n<li>Developing a Vision for the future beyond the crisis<\/li>\n<li>Scoping the projects needed to realise the Vision<\/li>\n<li>Getting the communication plan right<\/li>\n<li>Being a role model for how to cope in a crisis<\/li>\n<li>Managing employees\u2019 stress reactions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let\u2019s look briefly at each of these factors in turn\u2026<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"responding-with-a-sense-of-proportion\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#responding-with-a-sense-of-proportion\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>Responding with a sense of proportion<\/h2>\n<p>A crisis will typically create many challenges for managers and their employees, including; enforced changes in work patterns, sudden shifts in priorities, and disruption to business models. All of this creates doubt, uncertainty and stress. In this type of scenario, the role of the manager in creating a sense of calm and forward momentum is of crucial importance to ensuring the sustainability of the company and the wellbeing of employees.<\/p>\n<p>The primary challenge is to avoid either:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Intervention Bias<\/strong> (over reacting) &#8211; making rash decisions, setting overly ambitious or unachievable goals, proving an overwhelming \u2018avalanche\u2019 of information.<\/p>\n<p>Or<\/p>\n<p><strong>Abdication Bias<\/strong> (under reacting) &#8211; avoiding responsibility, blaming others, underplaying the situation, not taking necessary decisions, providing no information.<\/p>\n<p>The goal, rather, is to respond with a sense of proportion i.e. to take measured action &#8211; based on good quality problem solving processes. At the centre of this measured response is the development and implementation of a structured Crisis Management Plan.<\/p>\n<h2>Developing a Vision<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">(Eyes on the prize)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The phrase \u2018eyes on the prize\u2019 became popularised by the Civil Rights movement in the US during the 1950\u2019s and 60\u2019s. It means that we should remain steadily focused on an overall goal and not become distracted by side issues. In times of crisis this sense of working towards some desired \u2018end state\u2019 or outcome is especially important. People need to have a sense of what they are supposed to be working towards in order to orientate themselves and focus their efforts where they will do the most good. This means that one of the primary roles of the leader is to provide a Vision for how the crisis will be resolved.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, in a volatile and uncertain situation, developing a clear Vision of how to resolve the crisis can be difficult, but the leader\u2019s job is to be able to clearly articulate what people should be working towards. One way of doing this is to break things down into stages e.g. to have a Vision Statement for the first 30 days, and then 60 days, 120 days and 1 year after the start of the crisis. These Vision Statements should be clear, concise and (hopefully) compelling.<\/p>\n<p><em>E.g. Over the next 30 days we will make sure that everyone is comfortable with remote working practises, has access to up to date information and we will also prepare a detailed financial model of the effects of the crisis on our business. In addition, we will set up a series of Project Teams to work on specific \u2018hot topics\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"scoping-projects\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#scoping-projects\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>Scoping projects<\/h2>\n<p>The CMP will be made up of a series on interlinked mini-projects, that will usually be scoped and managed by a Steering Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Some of these projects will be <em>Technical Projects<\/em> e.g. experiments\/analysis of specific technical challenges, modelling of financial impacts, developing IT platforms\/infrastructure, reviews of legal obligations, Public Relations activities, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Others will be psychological in nature or <em>Cultural Projects<\/em> i.e. they will be to do with handling the \u2018human side\u2019 of crisis management e.g. maintaining employee morale, giving confidence to regulators or other formal bodies that things are under control, managing investor relationships, engaging with customers, suppliers, and (if appropriate) the general public etc.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, these mini-projects will typically cover two broad phases: (a) the Initial Response to the crisis, and (b) Repair Activities e.g. reinvigorating the organisation, reputational repair actions etc. once the crisis has abated.<\/p>\n<p>As with any project, the appropriate staffing, resourcing and monitoring progress of these activities is at the heart of organising a successful response to the crisis.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"getting-the-communication-plan-right\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#getting-the-communication-plan-right\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>Getting the Communication Plan right<\/h2>\n<p>Gossip, rumour and misinformation can spread like wildfire during a crisis, so having a firm grip on the messages that people are hearing and making sure they are timely, accurate, helpful and truthful is a core competency in a crisis management situation.<\/p>\n<p>One way of organising the communication strategy is to use a <strong>Message Grid<\/strong>. This involves taking a calendar and working out who you want to talk to, about what topic, on what days and specifying both who and how to deliver each message.<\/p>\n<p>For example, you might decide upon: talking to all employees, about how the CMP is rolling out, every Tuesday at 10am for 15 minutes, delivered by the CEO, via a video conference.<\/p>\n<p>The messages themselves can follow the <em>Point, Message, Support, Action<\/em> Format\u2026<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Point &#8211; What is the headline statement?<\/li>\n<li>Message &#8211; Script the key details of the message<\/li>\n<li>Support &#8211; Is there an anecdote and\/or data points, to support the message<\/li>\n<li>Action &#8211; What is the call to action<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is also worth noting that research (Taylor and Kent 2007) suggests that having a specific website (or website section) is best practice action in a crisis, as it provides a focal point for people to get up to date, reliable news.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"being-a-role-model\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#being-a-role-model\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>Being a Role Model<\/h2>\n<p>People look to their leaders as role models for how they themselves should behave in times of crisis. As such, leaders need to (i) project self-confidence and show a positive mental attitude, and (ii) be willing to coach people when they are anxious or uncertain, guiding them through what is sometimes called the \u2018zone of uncomfortable debate\u2019.<\/p>\n<h3>Positive mental attitude<\/h3>\n<p>If the leaders show signs of panic, delay decisions and\/or hide themselves away in times of crisis, then employees are likely to do the same. Thus, the manager or leader should be willing to take calculated risks, personally communicate key messages and do so with a sense of self-confidence and gravitas. Other messages can by handled by other managers, or via other channels, such as text or email or blog posts. The main thing is that the most senior leader sounds confident, stays visible and provides essential information in a timely manner.<\/p>\n<h3>Managing the ZOUD conversations<\/h3>\n<p>The \u201cZone of Uncomfortable Debate\u201d or ZOUD is an idea developed by Professor Cliff Bowman at Cranfield University. It covers all those topics that either the leader, or the employee, feels anxious about raising and exploring. Often, they relate to fears, doubts, and worries that have no obvious answers, and where support, reassurance or encouragement is urgently required. The ability of the leader to tackle these concerns head on is crucial to building a positive atmosphere, and is a big part of running a successful Crisis Management Programme. To do this well the leader has to be willing to act as a coach who can work collaboratively with the employee, to jointly develop some possible answers to their questions.<\/p>\n<p>The most commonly used model for this type of coaching is probably the GROW model. The origins of the GROW model are disputed but it was popularised by Max Landsberg in his 1996 book \u2013 The Tao of Coaching. When faced with an issue the manager works with the employee to go through four steps, during which, the manager (mostly) asks questions and the employee (mostly) provides the answers. The number and type of questions can be varied, depending on the situation, but the \u2018classic\u2019 framework is\u2026<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Goals<\/strong> \u2013 OK you have issue X and given that is the starting point what is your desired outcome?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reality<\/strong> \u2013 What is the current position? What are the facts of the matter?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Options<\/strong> \u2013 What are the choices for moving forward? (Be as open and creative as you can.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>When<\/strong> \u2013 What are the next steps and when will they be taken?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 id=\"managing-employees%e2%80%99-stress-reactions\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#managing-employees%e2%80%99-stress-reactions\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>Managing employees\u2019 stress reactions<\/h2>\n<p>In times of crisis people will (very naturally) be anxious. Often, they will become fixated on the very worst possible outcomes (what is called \u2018catastrophising\u2019) and also go over the same fears again and again and again (a harmful process called \u2018rumination\u2019).<\/p>\n<p>The skilled Leader needs to:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">(a) understand that both catastrophising and rumination are likely to occur, and<br \/>\n(b) act to address them.<\/p>\n<p>Methods for doing this include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Emotional Labelling<\/li>\n<li>Cognitive Reframing<\/li>\n<li>Change Forums<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Emotional Labelling<\/h3>\n<p>Most people are not fully aware of their feelings or emotional states, and they typically have a limited vocabulary to describe their moods. In a stressful situation this means that people typically feel \u2018bad\u2019 but have little sense of control over what is happening to them. One simple, but effective, way to improve things is to ask the person to explicitly name or label their emotions. This matters because the better someone is at labelling their emotions, the more control they have over them.<\/p>\n<p>So, giving the emotion a name, just accepting that feeling for what it is and then (maybe) starting to think differently about (or reappraise) the negative feeling can be very therapeutic. For example, studies by UCLA show that labelling an emotion decreases activity in the amygdala (the brain\u2019s fear centre), while increasing activity in the right prefrontal lobe (the area involved in making judgements) and so lessens \u2018emotional reactivity\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>To use this technique the manager simply\u2026<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">i. asks the employee to say, out loud, how they are feeling, then<br \/>\nii. validates that feeling e.g. \u201cYes, it\u2019s normal to feel (anxious\/nervous\/upset) in this type of situation\u201d, and<br \/>\niii. just leaves it at that or \u2013 if it seems appropriate \u2013 asks the person how they might manage that feeling e.g. \u201cCould you find a way to reduce that sense of anxiety\/worry\/anger\u201d etc. If you want to know more try this article from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/sweet-emotion\/201408\/why-labeling-emotions-matters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Psychology Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Cognitive Reframing<\/h3>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>\u201cEverything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms \u2013 to choose one\u2019s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one\u2019s own way.\u201d Viktor E. Frankl, <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/work\/quotes\/3389674-trotzdem-ja-zum-leben-sagen-ein-psychologe-erlebt-das-konzentrationslag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Man\u2019s Search for Meaning<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Cognitive Reframing is a strategy for coping with negative events. It can be used in counselling, therapy, problem solving, creative thinking, coaching and strategy development.<\/p>\n<p>The idea is that when something happens we make a snap decision about what that \u2018thing\u2019 means for us i.e. we assess or \u2018frame\u2019 the meaning of that event. For example, if you have planned a family picnic and on the day of the outing it is pouring with rain, you might (quite reasonably) \u2018frame\u2019 this as a \u2018bad\u2019 event and feel disappointed and frustrated.<\/p>\n<p>In this scenario the negative emotions (e.g. annoyance, sadness) release hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline into your bloodstream that upset your biochemistry and mood, but don\u2019t improve things one iota. Reframing means we take the situation (e.g. a cancelled picnic) and give it a different meaning by changing the way we think about it (e.g. it is a chance to take the family bowling, or swimming, or to the cinema instead).<\/p>\n<p>Thus, Cognitive Reframing is about taking a challenging or unpleasant situation, accepting that event as a given, and choosing to make something positive out of it. This is a very old idea and we find it in many sayings and adages e.g. \u2018every cloud has a silver lining\u2019 or \u2018it is an ill wind that blows no good\u2019 or \u2018when life gives you lemons, make lemonade\u2019. It is also at the heart of the psychological theory of having an Internal Locus of Control i.e. the sense that you are not completely at the mercy of events but can (at least to some degree) act to improve your situation.<\/p>\n<p>So, when employees bring up the challenges thrown up by COVID-19, e.g. the disruption to cash flow, the unfamiliarity of home working for many people, the challenges of unclear priorities etc. managers should acknowledge the issues but not allow people to fixate on them. Say to your staff something like&#8230; \u201cOK, these issues are real, but we are where we are, and given that, what\u2019s the silver lining here?&#8230; What opportunities does this situation present us with?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For example,<\/p>\n<p>During a cost reduction programme people are often asked to do \u2018more with less\u2019. How about \u2018Reframing\u2019 that and saying, \u201cNo, if we are cutting back on resources then let\u2019s agree that we will do \u2018less with less\u2019\u201d, i.e. we will stop doing anything that\u2019s not essential.<\/p>\n<p>Or the enforced home working driven by COVID-19 might be Reframed as an opportunity to drive down costs long term and give a better work\/life balance.<\/p>\n<p>The disruption to standard work patterns could be Reframed as a chance to action some projects\/ improvements that have been sitting on a \u2018wish list\u2019 waiting for the \u2018right time\u2019 to address them.<\/p>\n<p>Think about using Reframing to bring people\u2019s focus back to their normal day to day tasks. So, yes there is a lot of disruption, but what can people be getting on with? Working on familiar tasks (to the extent that\u2019s possible) is not only important from a business perspective, but is also reassuring for people and is a calming measure in and of itself.<\/p>\n<h3>Change Forums<\/h3>\n<p>One key tool for helping employees handle the psychological aspects of the crisis is to create Change Forums. A Change Forum is a meeting place, either face to face or virtual, where employees can discuss the issues that affect them and have some sense of control over what\u2019s happening to them. There are a number of formats for these types of sessions, including the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theworldcafe.com\/key-concepts-resources\/world-cafe-method\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">World Caf\u00e9 Methodology<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ifal.org.uk\/How-Action-Learning-Works\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Action Learning Sets<\/a>. Both options are good choices for letting people have a voice about how the crisis is handled, share ideas and build a sense of community.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"putting-it-all-together\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#putting-it-all-together\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>Putting it all together<\/h2>\n<p>Leading a team through a crisis starts with developing a clear plan of action, based on a Vision for what a successful resolution will look like and a series of carefully scoped mini-projects, to address the technical and cultural challenges being faced.<\/p>\n<p>It is also about having a coherent communication strategy, being a calm, confident, reassuring presence, and handling people\u2019s worries and doubts by using Emotional Labelling, Cognitive Reframing and Change Forums.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"so-what%e2%80%99s-next\"><a class=\"anchor\" href=\"#so-what%e2%80%99s-next\"><i class=\"fa fa-link\"><\/i><\/a>So what\u2019s next?<\/h2>\n<p>Reflect on how well you perform in a crisis. Are you managing your employees\u2019 sense of worry or doubt? Are you providing a clear sense of direction? What improvements could you make to how you are managing your people in this challenging situation?<\/p>\n<h3>Reading<\/h3>\n<p>Read this article by the Institute for Public Relations on <a href=\"https:\/\/instituteforpr.org\/crisis-management-and-communications\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Crisis Management and Communications<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>On-Line<\/h3>\n<p>Watch&#8230; this three-minute long video on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=93YJZSSbLpQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cognitive Reframing<\/a>, with a very nice focus on the power of the \u2018attitude of gratitude\u2019 \u2013 as a way of improving mood and outlook.<\/p>\n<h3>Courses<\/h3>\n<p>Consider signing teams up to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/course-impact-presence.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Impact &amp; Presence<\/a> workshops as a way of developing gravitas and projecting self-confidence during a crisis.<\/p>\n<h3>Coaching<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re a senior executive, maybe a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.boulden-executivecoaching.net\/coaching-philosophy.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u2018one-to-one\u2019 executive coaching session<\/a>, or our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.boulden-executivecoaching.net\/remote-coaching.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Remote Coaching Programme<\/a>, would be a useful option for helping you improve your ability to handle a crisis?<\/p>\n<h3>Contact<\/h3>\n<p>Or gives us a call on 0844 394 8877 (UK) or email us at coaching@boulden.net and we\u2019ll be happy to discuss how we can work with you.<\/p>\n<p>And finally, remember that managing a crisis situation is never easy. It requires resolve, perseverance and determination if it is to be overcome, as captured in this couplet by the Danish polymath Piet Hein (1905-1996) \u2026<\/p>\n<h6>\u201cProblems worthy of attack,<br \/>\nprove their worth by fighting back.\u201d<br \/>\nPIET HEIN<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cImprovise, Adapt, Overcome.\u201d OLD MILITARY ADAGE Proper planning prevents poor performance! Successfully defusing a crisis situation requires a structured response in the form &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=306"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":384,"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306\/revisions\/384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.boulden.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}