How to Lead Your Team Through the Best (and Worst) of Times

It feels like we’re moving from one global crisis to the next with almost no respite, and I’ve found myself having more and more conversations with so many of my colleagues about the differences in leadership through the ups and downs of this current cycle.

Whether it’s a pandemic, global unrest or recession, CEOs are expected to lead, motivate and drive the business forward. But the approach and tools needed by the same leaders differ significantly in good times and bad. So the question is, how are you changing your approach to leadership and do you have a natural penchant for leading in one or the other?

Before we dive into the defining characteristics of leaders, it’s worth uncovering the difference at the base level (i.e., the team) as well. In times of crisis, people in organizations find solace and comfort in the team itself, in the work and moving forward in the society of the group, while in more prosperous positive cycles one can argue that the individual takes priority in their own personal meaning and journey. This is where you need to do more to make employees “feel” part of a larger team.

See also: Successful leadership tactics in times of crisis

How to lead through good times and bad

The universal overarching emphasis for any CEO is to make the team believe, feel and act as part of a unit. The process of achieving this differs depending on the multiple external influencers influencing team behavior and, of course, the CEO’s fundamental shift in how he connects with teams in good times and bad.

CEOs leading in times of external (or internal) crises need to set decisive steps and goals, provide clear direction and beat the drum to mobilize the cohort while remaining resilient and strong. The key to this is short, conscious and focused communication with a high degree of repetition. The “ground” – aka your team – is scared, so they need clearer direction, and they need it frequently, as that ultimately gives them the safety net of being part of the team.

CEOs leading in less turbulent times need to find more creative ways to engage and rally employees, foster empathy, and provide a space for people to reflect on how to connect their purpose with that of the organization. This approach gives them more opportunities to interpret visions and ideas and lets them drive more of them themselves. As the team drives forward, the CEO must also use a Swiss Army knife of activities, tools, and frameworks to drive family affiliation.

From the conversations I’ve had with my colleagues over the past few years (in good times and bad), here are some insights into how the two different CEO archetypes act in the workplace and make business decisions.

See also: How to become a better leader through a crisis

1. Surviving and thriving is a team effort led by a strong, compassionate leader

We have all learned this important lesson from Covid-19 – and we must keep it in mind as we all face the next financial and geopolitical crisis. We can’t go it alone, but at the same time we find solace in the fact that there is a strong leader at the helm, giving us the updates we need. We need both leadership and a strong team to support the game plan. Without one, the other falls.

When the heat comes up from an external effect, you also recognize the importance of your company culture and its power to hold the company together. In many ways, a catastrophe due to an externality is a crucial moment to turn it on its head and use it as an opportunity to tell your cultural story the right way. Buddha always said, “True wisdom comes from experience, not from intellect.”

2. Regardless of the global climate, CEOs must be malleable

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership, and the key is being able to pivot quickly to support what’s needed based on externalities – you don’t want to be the leader stuck in crisis mode when everyone is out on the prairie.

During Covid the key learnings for me personally were both being very decisive (i.e. knowing your plan) and being able to communicate with both strength and empathy. Along the same lines, you need to continually do less but do better—be it on employee experience or product initiatives—and the key is building a hunger mentality, as this keeps everyone in heightened awareness and alertness.

Knowing how to prioritize the needs of the company while balancing the needs of your employees is a key factor in success as a leader. More importantly, being able to constantly adjust these priorities to reflect the current economic or geopolitical climate.

See Also: Why the Ukraine Crisis Should Make You Reconsider Your Leadership

3. In a crisis, simplicity and intent are key

As leaders in crisis, we need to focus on intent and make very direct – often hard – but simple decisions and direction for our team. Today, the current geopolitical climate is forcing us in how we do business and with whom we do business.

As leaders, we must make these decisions and communicate them directly and clearly. And we must lean on those closest in line to support these decisions. When specialist teams focus on and drive each decision, intent and goals remain clear. When stress is high, your teams are always guided by simple and clear instructions.

4. Create a sense of security and progress, regardless of the climate

It sounds obvious that your workplace should instill a sense of security (wellness, equity, and financial security). But it’s critical for your business in 2022, because only if you can create a “circle of security” will everyone pull together as a unified team.

It is our job as leaders to continue to provide both the security that comes with good times and the security we have striven for in bad times. How do we do that? It starts with establishing a North Star for your team – where everyone in the organization has an alignment with the team’s well-being alongside the company’s purpose and direction – and that these things can easily be understood as part of the company’s DNA.

From a leadership perspective, leaders should relentlessly promote an inverted pyramid work model where employees focus the majority of their energies on tasks critical to their function, passion and performance. This means that everyone is driven by a conscious, authentic and relentless pursuit of excellence.

Your teams need a leader who can create both security and progress. By identifying, creating, and embracing pivotal moments that bring people together, you can find opportunities every day to strengthen your business, regardless of what’s going on around you.