How Do You Be A Great Leader During Difficult Economic Times?
Put people first. It’s hard to think of a worse atmosphere for employees than uncertainty. Uncertainty has a much worse effect on motivation than bad news. Uncertainty breeds fear. Fear is fed by rumors and rumors arise when people don’t know what’s going on. Uncertainty makes people speculate and encourages imagination to run riot. During these difficult times, excellent communication is essential. Communication has to be regular and consistent and it has to be 2-way communication – not a “now hear this” style. Your team has to be able to trust you. If you don’t know something – say so – don’t pretend you know by making it up or by giving your best -guess. You may be proved wrong down the line and you’ll have lost people’s trust. It’s important not to make promises that it may be impossible for you to keep or make promises you’re not 100% sure you can keep. It’s more helpful to talk to your team about strategies and plans. Involve your team in the making of the plans and the building
