FACE IT! Uncertainty is uncomfortable for anyone. Coronavirus has created an uncertainty that most of us have never experienced in our lifetime. The impact this pandemic has been felt by individuals, families, companies and communities across the US and world.
For every manager, a new landscape has been forced upon them and HUMANizing this crisis will help navigate this uncharted territory
Managers are asking: How can we keep people focused while helping them cope with feelings that constantly are changing? uncertainty is everywhere? Integrate the HUMAN Approach when managing a crisis.
Help
You don’t know what you don’t know until you ASK. Connect with each person on your team at least once a week to check on their overall well-being. Asking questions provides information you need to help them. Remember each person has their own style and needs. Individualize those questions. It is not one size fits all.
Understand
Validate feelings, emotions, concerns and be your authentic self. Share your personal feelings and concerns; honor and respect theirs. Reassure them it is OK to feel this way. Allow them to express their feelings and concerns out loud, write the words down and talk about it. Suspend judgments when humanizing this crisis!
Make
Adjustments and be flexible with everyone’s situation(s). Working remote is offering new challenges. It is not easy to manage home and office at the same time. Discuss and mutually agree on expectations, remove barriers of working from home and prioritize well-being over outcome. Remember, overall performance is contingent on well-being.
Answer
Questions the best you can. If you do not know the answer, it is okay to say you do not know. Be honest, transparent, and resourceful. Seek out information, subject matter experts, filter facts vs fiction, probe and share information that is consistent within organization. So many questions are unanswered in an uncharted territory and this one is no different.
Navigate
All possibilities. This is not going to last forever. Explore new potential, share opportunities found, and rethink the way your organization can do business. Most importantly engage your team by asking:
- What have you learned about yourself during this crisis?
- What have you learned about others during this crisis?
- What have we learned about our business during this crisis?
