Effective leadership during a crisis

The coronavirus outbreak was unpredictable, and not an event that the workplace could have planned for. The ability to adapt and improvise to successfully manage teams during this time is what makes great leaders stand out.

Any organisation that has experienced an unexpected change can agree that their teams felt more stressed and anxious than usual. Leaders can either improve or impair these situations. People need someone they can rely on for honest communication and support, now more than ever.

There is a lack of training in many professions to develop soft skills, including leadership skills. Surprisingly, a CareerBuilder survey found that 58% of people received no training when they began their first leadership position. Although your leadership skills can develop over time, learning valuable techniques first is fundamental. Consistently proving your abilities as a leader makes transitioning into a challenging time more manageable, with trust already established.

Emotional intelligence has become one of the most important soft skills a person can have. However, it is prevalent for leaders to now actively apply this knowledge. The ability to act accordingly to each situation, demonstrating positive behaviour and mindsets, can be of benefit to everyone involved.

Transparency allows your team to understand your values and how you value them, strengthening trust and bridging gaps of uncertainty. Communicating and collaborating with your team can result in better strategies and build confidence, allowing their voices to be heard. Furthermore, creating a sense of psychological safety allows your team to thrive, especially during a stressful time. Creating security involves encouraging your colleagues to be open with ideas or concerns, and transparency demands honesty if you don’t have an answer.

Leading a business through a crisis is complex, and different styles of leaderships may work for different organisations. Nonetheless, achieving success cannot be done alone and developing effective people skills is what can make a powerful difference.

Neoskill offer many soft skills courses that can help develop and support your teams. If you would like to find out more, then please get in touch via www.neoskill.com/contact.