by LeahH on July 13, 2009
When a crisis arises, something has gone wrong.
The last post was about collecting the data. Once you have collected all of the data, the most important thing to do with the data is to revisit the original vision.
You as the leader must set a crisis management plan. When you revisit your vision you’ll be able to take the next most logical steps.
1. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. All communication should refect the original vision and purpose of your company – no matter who you are communicating with.
2. Select a crisis management team. Get a cross section of people who can help analyze all data from different view points. Getting people to the table who can ask questions from different disciplines will maximize effectiveness. Help to empower your team.
3. Partner. Select an outside agency to help you begin to look at possible solutions. It is difficult to make great decisions when you try to manage a crisis from within without outside input.
Crisis comes about when an unpleasant occurrence comes as a surprise. Rarely is this surprise the responsibility of one person. There are usually layers of problems that need to be dealt with. While most crisis management is dealt with in the strategic planning process in crisis preparedness, rarely is every contingency covered – and the root cause is not always obvious.
Great leaders, along with their crisis management team and their partners, will be able to move towards resolution and will be able to reveal what learning happened in the face of crisis. Remembering your vision, remember how and why you are doing what you do, how and why your company does what it does and communicating that vision throughout the crisis management process with bring credibility to you as a leader.
Leah Henderson
President, Leah Henderson & Associates
When something has failed in the system, it frequently results in crisis. There is a deviation from the status quo. There is something lost or an unavailability of resources.
In order to figure out how to fix, how to restore, how to get back to status quo, you have to figure out what happened, how it happened and then what to do about it.
In my last post, I wrote about some important paperwork that disappeared. The disappearance of that paperwork was going to cost someone a sizeable amount of money if it wasn’t found. If you’ve been reading, the Boss and the Assistant Boss had begun an investigation and the way that they were going about it was shutting everyone down who could be helpful.
Before conducting an investigation, decide first how you are going to treat the people you need to help you figure out what went wrong. Do you value the people around you? Do you value the team?
When people are interviewed there are a few steps that you can take that will assist in creating a safe and transparent environment that will help everyone know that they are valued.
1. Make sure that you are asking everyone the same questions. You might want to make a log sheet where you can record the answers of each person interviewed ensuring that each person is asked the same questions.
2. When you begin to take notes, do it in a manner that allows the interviewee visual access to what you are writing. In doing so, you are allowing the person to be assured that what they are saying is being recorded correctly.
3. When speaking to the person, use their name. You are not just collecting data, you are speaking to a person. Let them know that you know that.
4. Observe body language. Does the person you’re speaking with seem closed? Look at the body language. You do this instinctively everyday when you are speaking with people you know well. You don’t have to become an expert in studying body language. Use what you know. Interview someone in the way that you would like to be interviewed if you felt closed off.
5. If the person you are interviewing begins to become agitated and their voice gets louder, remain calm and speak more softly. People instinctively follow others’ lead in nervous situations. If you are calm and speaking softly, the other person will more than likely follow your lead.
These crisis management techniques work in many situations. Whether you are trying to figure out how your reservation got lost, where some paperwork went, there was a flood in your neighborhood, or thousands of dollars of materials were delivered to the wrong company in the wrong country. Keep in mind that there is a solution to the problem. Remaining calm, being thorough, and valuing others throughout the process will help to expedite the route to solution.
Leah Henderson, President
Leah Henderson & Associates
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