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    Brain Circuits

    Leading a crisis recovery? Three questions to ask 

    by Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg Published December 4, 2023 in Brain Circuits • 5 min read

    Ready to recover? To create psychological safety for your team working through crises, ask yourself if you are striking the right balance as a leader.

    In times of crisis, leaders must strike a balance between running too hot or too cold. Failing to do so could cause the lid to blow off the pressure cooker. 

    Here are three questions to ask yourself as you lead a team through tough times: 

    Are you avoiding tough challenges, using crisis as a scapegoat?

    What is most urgent in the short term should not get in the way of what is important in the long term. At least, not for too long.

    Once we have fixed what is urgent in a crisis, we may well feel we deserve a good rest. But not forever! Did you hear yourself saying, “When COVID-19 is over, we will address this problem.” Remember to take the time now (or as soon as you can) before the next crisis unfolds.  

    2. Are you being as compassionate as you could be?

    Being compassionate involves asking your team what their sanctuary is – their “go-to” place for energy and joy. They might have lost touch with this, and it’s also a good way to bond as a team.

    However, there is a balance to be had between containment and compassion. If you overdo compassion, you risk pushing people into the learned helplessness trap. In essence, it’s about combining being caring and understanding with being a bit strict. Are you being understanding and sensitive towards other people’s signals, just as much as you are being crystal clear about expectations? Because that’s where psychological safety lies. 

    3. Do you make an effort to energize yourself and those around you daily?

    Energy is not a given and must be generated and channeled internally. Here are five ideas to help you to reenergize:

    • Share success stories 
    • Set up competitions 
    • Divide long projects into sprints 
    • Shorten Zoom meetings 
    • Cut tumbleweed projects 

    Why not double up on praise, recognition, and feedback? You can do almost anything when you are recognized for your work and are told why. 

    Further reading: 

    How to be a good leader in a bad economy

    When crisis management becomes conflict management 

    Authors

    Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg

    Adjunct Professor at IMD

    Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg is a clinical psychologist who specializes in organizational psychology. As an executive advisor, she has more than two decades of experience developing executive teams and leaders. She runs her own business psychology practice with industry-leading clients in Europe and the US in the financial, pharmaceutical, consumer products and defense sectors, as well as family offices. Merete is the author of the book Battle Mind: How to Navigate in Chaos and Perform Under Pressure.

    Related

    Further reading: 

    Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman 

    Authors

    Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg

    Adjunct Professor at IMD

    Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg is a clinical psychologist who specializes in organizational psychology. As an executive advisor, she has more than two decades of experience developing executive teams and leaders. She runs her own business psychology practice with industry-leading clients in Europe and the US in the financial, pharmaceutical, consumer products and defense sectors, as well as family offices. Merete is the author of the book Battle Mind: How to Navigate in Chaos and Perform Under Pressure.

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