![]() ![]() Besides, all of the facts of the situation will become apparent over time and softening hard truths can backfire. If, for instance, management has decided to cut pay, but hasn’t landed on a precise number, don’t pretend it’s not happening even if you can’t give specifics. “When you sugarcoat, you come across as a liar or someone who’s out of touch,” she says. The desire to alleviate your team’s anxiety is understandable but, cautions Edmondson, it does no one any favors. You may be tempted to gloss over news that won’t be well received. We’re giving you updates as soon as we know them.”ĭon’t sugarcoat. Argenti recommends saying something like: “I wish I could tell you exactly what is going to happen. ![]() Let’s say, for instance, an employee asks you whether there will be layoffs, and while you’ve been told that’s up for discussion, you aren’t sure whether they will happen and you don’t how deep they’ll go. So, you need to admit what you don’t know. The fact is, “none of us has a great deal of clarity for what lies ahead,” says Edmondson. Allay their fears as much as you can.īe humble. “Look at the situation from their shoes and think about what you yourself would want to hear.” You’d most likely want reassurance that “eventually this is going to end,” of course, but more importantly, you’d like to believe that leadership “isn’t hoarding information” or waiting for the other shoe to drop. Think about your employees’ perspective, says Argenti. Navigate your conversations with careĬonsider your audience. Encourage your employees to use this resource so that the information provided directly addresses their concerns. Ideally your organization has created a central “ coordinated clearinghouse” where employees can pose questions, says Edmondson. He suggests doing periodic small meetings and one-and-ones to understand your individual team members’ most pressing issues. “The ostrich with its head-in-the-sand approach doesn’t work here.” Your team needs to know what to expect in terms of when and how frequently they’ll receive information from you as well as from your company’s leadership. When your organization is in crisis, you need to “communicate early and often,” Argenti says. Next you need a strategy for how and when you will communicate with your team about the situation as it’s evolving. “Put on your own oxygen mask first,” she adds. Eat well, exercise, and try to get plenty of sleep. She recommends sticking to your routines as much as you can. Channel your inner “platoon leader,” and prepare as you would for battle. The right mindset is critical, says Edmondson. As a frontline manager, your goal is to be “the person turn to” for guidance and direction. “This is the ultimate test of your leadership and an opportunity for you to show your employees what you’re made of.” Summon your courage. Essentially, “you’re teaching people how to succeed in a crisis,” he says. Steel yourselfīefore you utter or write a word to your team, you need to understand the challenge that lies before you, Argenti explains. Here are recommendations for communicating with your employees during this uncertain time. Explain to your team, “here’s what we do know, here’s what we don’t know, and this is what we are doing to close that gap.” Your second task is to “articulate a sense of possibility and hope.” Accomplishing both of these tasks, however, is no easy feat. “People are freaking out and wondering, ‘What does this mean for my company, my job, and my future?’” Your role as a manager is to “project confidence and strength.” Even though the situation is fast-moving and you don’t have perfect information, you need to be honest about what you know, says Amy Edmondson, the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School. Similar to other crises, such as 9/11 and the global financial downturn, workers feel scared and worried. And yet, according to Paul Argenti, Professor of Corporate Communication at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, the experience of managing through it is not necessarily unique. The Covid-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event in modern history. What information - and how much of it - should you share with your reports about the health of your organization? How can you be candid about the possibility of pay-cuts and layoffs without demoralizing your team? And, during this period of uncertainty, how can you offer assurance without giving people false hope? What the Experts Say Regardless, you need to be in constant communication with your team. You don’t know when your employees will be able to return to the office or how different things will be when they do. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.Īs the coronavirus pandemic escalates and disruptions to business-as-usual continue, managers are grappling with the unknown. In these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers.
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