Preparing for Leadership During Crisis | Tory Burch Foundation

The only constant in our world is change. How you address those changes — whether you’re responding to widespread layoffs or the impact of global crises, such as terrorism and war — is dictated by your business’ organizational culture. The Association of Talent Development defines “organizational culture” as the sum of the values, beliefs, practices, and behaviors that contribute to the social and psychological environment of an organization. For 2022 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow and ReImagine Talent Co. founder/CEO Chelsea C. Williams, culture is what an organization does, and leaders are responsible for curating a culture that embraces changes and leans into opportunity. 

Williams returned to our webinar series to advise our community on how they can prepare for leadership during crisis by authentically addressing the needs of a changing workforce. 

UNDERSTAND THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE.

When looking at the current state of work, Williams acknowledged changes to the workforce and the workplace. The workforce, or pool of available talent, is increasingly multigenerational with varying values and ideas of what they need from an employer. In today’s workplace, organizations are trying to do more with less as the economy fluctuates. Deloitte identified four categories that represent what members of today’s workforce want: values alignment, purposeful work, belonging, and vision. It’s crucial that founders and CEOs recognize that what each of those categories look like in action will differ according to each team member. Customize your approach accordingly.

TAKE THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE.

Williams highlighted that a clear vision keeps people engaged, aware, and committed. A clear vision or mission will prove essential during times of hardship, and Williams introduced a leadership framework that prioritized direction, alignment, and commitment to guide your response. Consider:

• Where is the organization going, and is there agreement on the direction of your overall goals?
• Is alignment on your vision being fostered through communication and collaboration between teams?
• How are members of the group sharing responsibilities so that they are committed and accountable for the organization’s impact in the marketplace?

You may have to reconsider key performance indicators, Williams acknowledged, but ultimately, you should work towards having your team agree on the desired impact on the marketplace. 

When asked how founders and CEOs can lead through national and global crises, Williams reminded the group that every single issue can’t be addressed, but an open-door policy is helpful for team members to express what matters to them and what they’d like support on. In these matters, “unequivocal humility” is key, she explained.  

FACE CHALLENGES HEAD ON. 

While there is no formula that works for every situation, Williams does specify four actions that can help lead and take care of your team through challenging times:

Determine Your Response Manner and Method(s)

The crises or hardships that your organization chooses to respond to is very unique to the needs of your team and should be connected to your overall vision, mission, values, and culture. Ideally, you’d approach this proactively by considering how you’d address potential issues ahead of time and have resources or benefits in place that you can direct your employees for support. Maybe this involves forming a crisis response team or supporting your managers with training modules on the necessary communications skills. 

Williams used the example of a long-standing team member disclosing to their manager that they’re battling infertility and are now exploring other options. This is an opportunity for you as a leader to showcase empathy. You can adjust work hours to accommodate that team member’s needs and highlight employee assistance programs or relevant insurance benefits. 

Infuse Trust Into Your Organizational DNA

Assess whether your company fosters a culture of trust, honesty and inclusion, and then create policies that ensure accountability to that culture. To maintain a psychologically safe environment, utilize external training programs to teach managers emotional intelligence best practices. As a leader, you set the tone. Be transparent as you can with your employees about what’s going on and what support is available to them. 

A potential challenge Williams outline is a humanitarian crisis facing a country that is a major distribution center for one of your fast-growing products. Additionally, some of your employees have loved ones who live in that region. Take the opportunity to bring the team together and address the situation. Acknowledge the breadth of the communities impacted, both personally and professionally, and share with your team what you know. Be transparent about what you’re still figuring out in real time. Amplify any support resources that may be appropriate, but above all reaffirm your commitment to communicating with the team throughout the crisis. 

Trust is earned, and its cultivation extends beyond internal team dynamics. For example, there may be a client or provider that’s violating some element of the workplace culture you’ve created. Don’t sweep their behavior under the rug to keep the cash flowing. Keep the best interest of your team at the forefront, and have the hard conversations. “The trust barometer goes down for the team if you don’t confront the situation,” Williams said. 

There will likely always be someone who has strong disagreement on a stance. Do the best that you can do in a way that you feel is authentic.

Increase Communication Channels

Determining an authentic response will depend on the nature of the crisis and who you’re addressing. Messaging should change whether you’re addressing an individual, a specific team, or the company at large, and the method of that outreach shouldn’t be a guessing game. Ask your team what works best for them in an emergency. Do they prefer email? Are text messages appropriate? Also, remember that what can’t be one size fits all; Customize the content of your messaging to match the needs of the generational and demographic group you’re speaking to. 

Maybe one of your colleagues asks in a public meeting whether people at your company should worry about layoffs, after reading news about downsizing at a competitor. Williams suggested that a situation like this is an opportunity to acknowledge how people are feeling. Don’t just brush off concerns! Apologize for not addressing the issue sooner, offer honest statements on the company’s stability and reiterate the vision you’re all working to realize. 

 “Communication is always on the list of things we can do better, I think we know that,” Williams said. “But when there are a lot of things happening at once, the extra phone call, the text check-in, the email affirmation go a long way.”

Reward, Recognize, and Appreciate 

Rewards such as salary raises, are reserved for above and beyond achievements. Recognition is typically tied to specific behaviors or reaching milestones. This might look like a special shout out during a team meeting or a company gift on the anniversary of an employee’s start date. Making verbal and written praise and recognition a part of day-to-day interactions encourages a culture of gratitude that can bolster spirits, especially during challenging times. In fact, it’s even more important to show appreciation when your team is working under difficult conditions.

Even founders with small budgets can find ways to appreciate employees. Flex time and other wellness benefits can be great incentives. Training or other investments in your teams’ careers help them feel appreciated. You may even consider reasonably priced curated gifts. “All of that stuff may seem very minute to you, but it’s showing people appreciation,” Williams explained. “Over time, you’re depositing the moments that make them feel appreciated. Until [you can] build a bonus structure into the annual salary that people can get really excited about, start where you are today.”

Another benefit of showing appreciation? It’s not only a great feeling for the person on the receiving end; showing your appreciation for someone will make you feel good as well. 

GIVE YOURSELF GRACE.

Not everyone is going to agree with how you decide to address issues, and that’s okay. “There will likely always be someone who has strong disagreement on a stance,” Williams said. “Do the best that you can do in a way that you feel [is] authentic.”

In the face of backlash, lead with humility. Acknowledge what’s gone wrong, take accountability for your part in it, and commit to trying again with insight on what your team needs.

Founders should lead by example, not only in the areas that increase your company’s profit, but also in the less tangible ways you dictate the company’s culture. Communicate with your team about your personal challenges. Williams encouraged attendees to release the pressure to be perfect. Life happens to all of us. Assess how your struggles might be impacting the team, share what you feel is appropriate and necessary about your situation, and create a workflow to accommodate the issue. “When we model and create space, we allow our colleagues to do the same,” she said.