In times of crisis, such as the current one, companies are forced to test their ability to respond and adapt, but also the leadership skills of their managers, which become even more crucial. Moreover, for organizations, it is an opportunity to assess the most important values of their employees, such as loyalty, involvement, accountability, commitment, and above all, trust. Trust within the team, trust in the leaders from the team members, and vice versa.

How the Concept of Leadership Has Changed During the Crisis

Leadership has been widely discussed in recent years, but the concept translated into different values or, more accurately, a different hierarchy of priorities before the pandemic. It was more about the ability to support people in stepping out of their comfort zones to continually evolve and perform on all levels. However, in the new context, it is much more important to support employees in adapting to the new reality in terms of work methods and managing general uncertainty to achieve a balance in mental health.

In the current period, filled with uncertainties from all angles, a leadership and management skill that can make a difference is the ability to quickly identify necessary changes and manage them in a short time to minimize the impact of negative events on the company and, consequently, on most employees. Another critical skill remains the ability to communicate objectively and clearly with the team while maintaining a high level of positivity to inspire courage and help the team overcome the crisis we are in or the one that may follow.

Leadership and the ability to provide a coherent vision for the company are even more necessary when most employees are working remotely, a situation likely to continue until the end of the year. This situation brings about a series of challenges, the most demanding being constant communication with employees, tracking and sharing tasks within teams, and consistently conveying the company’s status.

One of the most important challenges is maintaining all colleagues connected and engaged with the company’s goals and mission without face-to-face interactions. Previously, employees could speak directly with their leaders, possibly even with the company’s top leader, which created a sense of security and trust through physical proximity and team spirit, including informal discussions during breaks or shared lunches. In the current context, all these elements are missing. Without them, the sense of belonging to the team and the organizational culture may diminish, which can be a critical factor in employee motivation and engagement.

Communication, Essential During This Period

For this reason, frequent communication from leaders and managers with employees has become essential during this period. However, this communication must be concise, to the point, transparent regarding the actual situation, and as optimistic as possible, given the general situation of the company. Overly positive or negative exaggerations can create an artificial context, leading to a loss of credibility, and consequently, a loss of employee loyalty, commitment, and engagement.

Furthermore, during a crisis, it is equally important for leaders to demonstrate flexibility in thinking to explore any type of opportunities and approaches, sometimes even unconventional ones. They must be open enough to identify possibilities in unfavorable circumstances beyond the obvious because, more often than not, a crisis is also a good opportunity for reinvention.