Crisis Management is a chief skill to have during the present time. Crisis Leadership will test your values, priorities, empathy and vision. I can see how jolting the experience may seem if and when you encounter an unexpected emergency. The faces you see around you look dismayed, even fearful, waiting for someone to come up with the right answer to make this situation fizzle like a can of flat soda.

But there are times in your career that the crisis won’t just disappear that easily and now you’ve been called on to help solve a looming situation that could go south (or north) any minute. So, how do you respond with confidence and direct the mood from overwhelm to steady? What are some ways you can bring confidence to a crisis situation? What vital change can you make in handling a crisis that will dramatically help you succeed in your career during these calamitous times? In future crises, how will you respond confidently and give leadership support?

Let’s look at the big picture of crisis management, and then I’ll break it down to help you achieve your goal of handling a crisis with confidence.

A crisis is an intense, possibly unexpected event. Crisis management is an activity that is thoughtfully planned to fend off, avert or at least minimize an intense event. Many times the event happens suddenly and the response plan is crucial to positively solving your watershed moment. The response is determined by how well you (and possibly your team) have planned for the seemingly unexpected.

You plan for the unexpected all the time in your personal life. Let’s say your refrigerator breaks suddenly. Maybe you’ve planned for the major appliance kaput by purchasing appliance warranty insurance. Maybe you’ve put aside money for these major appliance breaks. If you have a plan in place for unexpected personal crises like this one, I bet you’ll have a level of confidence that will help you persevere to reach a solution. The key here is that you’ve taken the time to consider a response to an unexpected event.

Take a moment to create your vision 👓 of a personal, work or career crisis. I know this is not a pleasant reality but you are a high-performing leader so I’m convinced this journey will help you bridge the confidence gap for dealing with a future crisis. I’m here to guide you on achieving your goal of handling that next crisis with confidence!

Common reasons for avoiding preparing for a crisis: 🔔

·       You’re too busy. Busyness has almost become an accepted past-time in our work + personal life. Maybe it’s time to re-think your things-to-do-list and re-prioritize based on the largest impact a particular crisis will cost you (personally; career-wise) or your team (together or remote) or both. Slowing down to do this and chunking the steps to make your list more manageable will help you prepare for and handle a crisis with confidence. Are you unwilling to prepare for a particular crisis? If yes, why? Your answer may be my next reason…

·       Fear. I understand how this feeling can paralyze you. Usually, there’s a block or limiting belief that needs to be addressed. I’ve had instances where I’ve feared failure. This alarm prompted me to upgrade skills that I was fearful of not having. Once I upskilled and cultivated a new strength in that area (by reading, taking a course, getting a mentor, practicing how to do it in practical daily ways, etc.) I was able to have more confidence with handling that specific crisis.

·       Not ready to handle the change a crisis will bring about. I agree with you that change is a biggie. I have seen coworkers and colleagues lose respect for others regarding their ability to lead because of their unwillingness or not being ready to change. This may be hard to hear but I am here to coach you to your transformation. “You will never be able to demand certainty. Just when you think you’ve perfected one skill, system, or method – another one will begin trending. Some strategies to help you move forward with the concept of change are: (a) increasing your emotional intelligence to become proficiently self-aware. Remove blame and set your sights on what you can control; and (b) acknowledging change happens while nurturing yourself. This will help you deal with any losses you are feeling by the change that’s taking place.

·       Incapable of change. This might happen if you’re suffering with substance abuse or deeper emotional issues. Seek medical and spiritual help if you need to.

Whew! I know that seemed a little deep, but if your goal is to handle a crisis with confidence, committing to exploring possible reasons for avoiding one is a great way to flush out any underlying hindrance to success.

Okay, let’s identify 5 Action Steps to help you gain confidence to respond to a crisis: (I will set this up using the personal example we discussed earlier to help you see a general framework. It’s not intended to minimize any crisis you are presently experiencing.)

1.     Define what you want. Is your goal S.M.A.R.T.? Is it realistic? (E.g. “If my refrigerator breaks I want a new one and it’s a priority for me that it has two doors, a defrost feature and an ice machine.”)

2.     Create a plan. Give yourself a plan completion date. (E.g. Design a blueprint by outlining the strategy and concrete steps to get another refrigerator.)

3.     Evaluate your plan by studying it and determining if it’s measurable. (E.g. “It’s better for me to set aside the cash because the process of getting my benefits from an insurance claim could take too long and this is something I will need right away.” “The warranty is less expensive and worth the minor inconvenience.”)

4.     Test your plan. Are you capable of doing the steps in your plan? Like they say, “punch holes in it”. Involve a trusted person or group to test the design. (E.g. “I will purchase the warranty; keep the contract + contact information in a folder or a place where I readily keep insurance documents; and check regularly to make sure it hasn’t expired.”)

5.     State your desired outcome. (E.g. “I want to have a plan that keeps me calm and genuinely believe this is the most practical way for me to carry out a crisis management plan.”)

 

Here are 7 Leadership Actions to display in a crisis: 📢

1.  Take a moment to figure out what’s really going on. Look at the details + the big picture.

2.  Act promptly; not hurriedly.

3.  Adapt quickly; not anxiously.

4.  Be able to answer this question; “What is my goal, objective and vision for a favorable outcome?” Include your team if this is an event with multiple stakeholders.

5.  Demonstrate balance.

6.  Your first response may not be your final response.

7.  Maintain perspective.

 

When you decide to have a career and create one with purpose, your response in a crisis will be an important conflict management skill to develop. Crisis leadership requires transparency.  It’s good to clear out and eliminate any obstacles that would limit your confidence to lead during times of conflict.

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