Crisis management has a heavy impact on a company and its staff. It is therefore important to be ready to deal with these types of situations and to know how to manage them. However, it is not easy to prepare for these events, which are inherently unexpected. For this, it is necessary to know how to show flexibility and especially to listen, according to Harvard Business Review.
It is not easy as an individual to see all the contours of a crisis, to understand its mutability, to consider all the possibilities and to decide on the best course of action. Especially since most of us gravitate around people who usually confirm our beliefs. We are attracted to individuals and ideas that align with our worldview, or even end up shaping it. But it’s important not to have preconceived ideas to prepare for the unpredictable. Especially since a crisis is rarely within the framework of our established rules or our existing structures.
A good leader knows that he cannot act alone and will surround himself with a team. However, it should provide him with as many different perspectives as possible on the situation. Taking a step back is an essential skill in crisis management. The more eyes you have on the situation, the less likely you are to entrench yourself in your own thinking or stay grounded in a solution or plan, Harvard Business Review points out.
The question is how do we leverage the perspective of others right now, before the next crisis hits us? For this, it is important to be able to answer three questions.
Do you currently have access to a variety of voices and sources of information?
These voices/sources of information can be found both within your team and outside your company. The goal is to make sure you have real visibility into what’s happening on the ground as well as on your board of directors. Blind spots should be determined and if possible removed.
Are you used to incorporating ideas or feedback from other team members into your decision-making?
You must establish whether you are indeed receptive to the ideas of others and the different opinions that are offered to you. Effective crisis leaders are those who know how to rely on expertise, wherever it is in the organization or even outside.
What systems or processes should you put in place to bring out and capture the views of multiple stakeholders?
Look at how communication is structured in your organization and see if there are any silos you need to address. How do you make sure you hear all points of view, not just those of your immediate team? What mechanisms could be put in place to collect good ideas from a diversity of perspectives?
Remember that crises are inevitable, so you might as well prepare for them in advance. By answering these three questions, you will most certainly be able to face the next disaster and meet the challenges with flying coolers.
