An equation for teams to navigate crisis & transitions? Some thoughts.
As an executive team coach, I’ve seen leaders transform challenges into development opportunities by embracing a bouquet of skills, contexts, contemplation, contexts and possibilities.
They managed to maintain momentum and guide the team through turbulence with more confidence, by being – and embracing being- one entity.
They applied the equation:
“strengths application + flexibility + genuine open curiosity”.
A fluid, learning and curious mindset not only kept the team engaged in the middle of challenges but also built and nourished the calcium in the team bones.
Here’s a few ideas, add more if it resonates..
The team maintain forward movement
This happens by jointly sharing a desired outcome (but not rigid goals), celebrating small wins and understanding what philosophy connects, animates and mobilise (not just motivates) all members of the team. Forward movement is a bit messy, never uniform. But it is movement.
The team orchestrate and encourage open, fluid and strong communications
The team develop a habit to surface and deconstruct possibly limiting assumptions. The team explore what context oxygentates or stiffles their thinking. I know that for some people, it feels like a waste of time at first, but respecting and honouring the thinking capacity of a team will result in a gain of time. Leaders need to suspend the belief that everything starts and ends with them.
The team promote self-care, and make space for emotional well-being
Within the team, we refer and sign-post adequate support. We normalise the goodness of genuine deep listening. We let people decide whether they want a professional listening ear or simply opportunities to think with peers or line managers, without being judged, “taught”, infantilised or interrupted.
The team invite empathy to the decision-making table
When we need to pivot during the unexpected, we utilise models that promote and acknowledge people and their complex contexts first. We are humans, not excel files.
The team bond
We normalise team’s partnerships between peers, in and across teams, to build trust, bond, and rapid co-creation, but **never divide the team**.
What else does your team do to navigate crisis and transitions?
I love walking alongside teams in these blurry spaces. There is no definite manual. Through empathy, generative attention and curiosity, we jewels, we soak in people’s talents, strengths; we let relationships flourish and learn.
Then everything changes and appeases (at least for a little while)
Let’s try more of this? What are your thoughts?
