Being a leader or manager is never easy, even during what might be considered “good times.” But during times of uncertainty or chaos, the degree of difficulty becomes even greater.
However, it’s during these times of chaos that good leadership is needed the most. Without this leadership, fortunes can turn on a dime, and many times, they don’t turn for the better.
Below are seven ways to lead effectively during times of chaos:
- Increase communication—Communication is important all of the time, but even more so now. Without the proper information, people tend to fill in the blanks with what they think is happening. Filling in the blanks for them results in a much more productive situation.
- Leverage your talent—Do you have your best people where they should be? Are all of your team members working to their strengths? If not, make the proper adjustments. Maximizing talent (and time) is crucial.
- Clarify responsibilities—Once you’ve made adjustments in regards to talent, be sure that everyone involved is clear about what they should be doing. You don’t want to add even more uncertainty to the situation.
- Solicit input—Great leaders know that quality ideas can come from anyone on their team, so encourage all team members to provide input.
- Increase the analytics—Quantitative numbers have a way of clearing up confusing circumstances. Compile and analyze the numbers that matter the most. The results of that analysis could provide important solutions to pressing problems.
- Maintain an “adaptive mindset”—Thinking about being adaptive precedes the act of being adaptive. Think about ways to adapt to emerging trends on a daily basis until such thoughts (and eventually actions) become a habit.
- Stay positive—This is an easy one to forget, but your team members take their cue from you. Your attitude should convey that change and chaos are to be embraced and that they represent tremendous opportunity for progress.
If you have any questions about this article, please send an email to dan@consearch.com, and don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter.
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