Five Tips for Piloting Your Team Through Turbulence

The topsy-turvy economy is throwing many people for a loop, including employees. If you’re a manager, you may be in the position of trying to provide stability and reassurance while also wondering what your own future holds. Although you want to be honest with staff, you don’t want to cause them to panic by oversharing worst case scenarios.

Amid a chaotic environment, your job as a manager becomes more visible and complex. Your staff members are going to take their cues from you. Think of it like being the pilot of a plane that’s shaking and swooping because of turbulence: You want to explain what is happening and how passengers can keep safe without raising undue alarm.

Here are five tips that can help you manage effectively during times of change:

1. Eliminate uncertainty where you can. Gossip and speculation are morale and productivity killers. And yet, these reactions are natural during times of change, especially when people fear job loss. While your company may not be in a position to assure employees that their positions are safe, look for bits of assurance you can provide, and don’t put off decisions unnecessarily. Any certainties that you can share will help reduce anxiety. For example, simply noting that the summer picnic will take place as usual can provide a sense of continuity. 

2. Show up consistently. Teams take their cues from you, so do your best to be a steady presence. If you storm into the office in a bad mood because your toddler dumped cereal over her head right as you were about to leave, your staff may assume the worst. In a situation like this, it’s best to share that you had a rough morning at home to avoid speculation. 

3. Ramp up your communication. There’s a saying that during times of change, when managers feel like they are over-communicating, they are finally communicating enough. During the onset of COVID-19, for example, as VP of marketing and communications for a global nonprofit organization, I increased the cadence of our staff newsletter from quarterly to weekly. It felt extreme at the time, but many team members later told me how reassuring it was to hear from leadership every Friday. Weekly check-ins with employees are another useful communication tool. If you don’t already use a template for these meetings, consider adopting one that asks the following questions: How are you doing? What are your priorities this week? What needs support? 

4. Let them know you care. When you ask employees how they are doing, really take in their responses. Dig in if you feel like someone’s having a hard time. You might ask the following, for example:

   • What’s on your mind? 

   • What’s going well for you right now?

   • What are you struggling with?

   • What would help make this a good week for you?

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to solve all of someone’s problems, particularly if they are personal in nature. Sometimes just listening and acknowledging a person’s feelings are enough. 

5. Practice self-care. Most of us know the saying that you need to put on your own oxygen mask before attending to those around you.That’s especially true if you’re the pilot. Because you’ll likely spend more time communicating with your team when things are unstable, look for projects or tasks that you can back-burner to add more white space to your day. Resist the urge to put in too many hours; periodic time away from your desk will make you more productive, not less. Model the type of balanced behavior you want to see from employees.

Although navigating through periods of instability can be demanding for managers, it also can be a time for personal growth. Rough patches, if managed well, tend to strengthen and unify teams. By treating your staff with care and respect, you can solidify relationships and create alignment that will serve you and your organization now and into the future. 

Note: This article is a reprint of my monthly "Career Corner" column that appears in "The Luminary," the city of Brisbane's business and community journal.