Times are tough right now, that is no secret! The workforce is going through something that they have never experienced, leaders are having to make tough decisions and employees are trying to manage work life and family life colliding. It is very easy to freak out and feel out of control. And you know what? No one would blame you if you did. However, as leaders, it is important to help minimize the freak outs and calm the uneasiness. There is no sugar coating it, leadership is hard and the difficulty is magnified in crisis. Leaders must take care of themselves first and through practice and self-awareness this will become easier. Through self-care, leaders will have better clarity and more energy to take care of their people.
As I, too, was wanting to learn to be a better leader in crisis, I came across this great acronym by Jill Young. She is an EOS Implementer (If you haven’t heard of EOS and/or Traction, I highly suggest it for an impactful business tool). The acronym is S.C.A.R.F! This tool can help leaders with some tips and tricks on how to keep people from freaking out.
Status – I am important.
- Ask more questions in conversation. “How are you? How is your family? What resources do you need?”
Certainty – There is a plan.
- Communicate consistently and often. Think daily huddles, emails, etc. Share plans even if just a plan for the day.
Autonomy – I have choices.
- Give people options when possible.
Relatedness – I belong.
- Find creative ways to continue traditions or culture building activities.
Fairness – The rules apply to everyone.
- Be consistent, i.e. no special rules for executives/leadership.
Seems so simple but we know it’s not that easy. These 5 ways to keep people from freaking out are a good guide for improving your leadership skills amid crisis and beyond. If you have any questions or your organizations leaders could benefit from training and/or facilitated discussions on this topic please reach out to us for more information!
