Leadership is as much a responsibility as it is a privilege, all the more so when your company is troubled by difficult times. Today we have more founders and executives than ever before. And this has created a new generation of leaders who are young, determined to make it big, and have a daredevil attitude.

When things seem to be going according to plan, it seems a lot easier to run a growing business. The dynamism of business drives you through everything. But as the challenges continue to grow and difficult times lie ahead, the true strength of leadership is put to the test.

During difficult times, it is on your shoulders as a leader to take care of your teams and your business. People will look up to you for guidance and help in dealing with difficult circumstances. You need to create an environment of openness and constant support for your employees.

More than any training or education, it is times of crisis that forge a better leader and instill valuable leadership skills. Any successful business leader, or indeed any leader, will tell you this.

As a manager, you set the tone

Your team will learn from you how to act and then use your actions as a model of how to handle the situation. The energy that you bring to the table is the same that they will accept. Most of the time, the question of how to lead a team through difficult times is about how to deal with and respond to the situation.

Point out the problem and explain to your team how they should view it as an opportunity to grow rather than a challenge.

It is important to be empathetic, but also to be honest with your team and employees about the current situation. Be open about what it realistically means for the company and how you want to approach it. Express a positive attitude towards the company and its future and you will see that your team will too.

The only way to lead is to lead by example. Support your team and inspire them to do a great job.

You are the pillar in difficult times

When a company is grappling with difficult times, the executive must be the strong pillar that holds everything together. Without centralized leadership, your teams cannot handle difficult situations effectively and become less productive.

It’s easy for teams to lose morale when things get tough. Regardless of whether it is a pandemic, a burglary or tough competition – it is always strong leadership that gets companies out of such crisis situations.

Encourage teams and align them with immediate goals. Allow them to come to you for anything they need and be available to them. Having a leader who is easy to address and work with makes your teams much more efficient. You can then work with clear guidelines instead of thinking about which path to take.

Communicate more and communicate often

It is important to be more visible as a leader in difficult times. And one aspect of visibility is effective and clear communication. It is always important to let your staff know about the reality of the situation and the plan in order to face the tough times as a team. This helps them to orientate themselves and gives them goals for action.

Regular communication also helps create a sense of transparency and normalcy in difficult times. When management speaks behind closed doors, it is always a cause for concern for employees. This is because it creates a feeling of insecurity and that would be the last thing you would want at such times.

Open and honest communication helps to reduce any fears on your team. It gives them a sense of security and security in their work and gives them the motivation to work harder.

You can talk about progress and situation updates through a variety of media:

• All hands meet at regular intervals
• Frequent updates via email
• Constant communication through Slack, Teams, or other such IM tools
• Recognition of victories in dealing with the difficult situation

If possible, outsource to focus on the core issues

When you’re a growing company, nothing is easy. If there is also a crisis situation, it becomes even more complicated. In difficult times it is important that the entire team comes together and works together on the issues.

But often it is impossible to focus on the critical work when other things are taking up your (and your team’s) time. In such a situation it makes sense to do some of the work e.g. Remote workerswho can help you keep things going while you battle the big problems.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s actually more helpful. Your core team can work to get out of trouble without the distraction. At the same time, the wheels keep turning and nothing falls through the gap.

Reorder priorities and realign goals

The priorities of the company and thus also of its teams change depending on the growth and size of the company. A time of crisis shifts the focus from growth to surviving and putting out fires. It is important to provide guidance on the immediate priorities and how to address them. It is not realistic to be able to manage everything at once as before.

Make the list of things that require active attention that can be worked on later. This will help your team approach their tasks with a clearer goal. It will also help you to come closer to the systemic solution of the situation step by step.

This is also the time to rise as a leader and realign your teams towards the company’s long-term goals. Talk to your teams about how you as a company can get back on track, what the goals are and how you can achieve them.

Final remark

Much of the credit for how a company is doing goes to the person or people who lead it. It is the leadership that can pull the whole team to work towards a common goal, as individual teams usually focus on their own function.

Also, in difficult times, it is the same leadership that has the ability to make or destroy the business. It is important for managers to take stock of the situation and steer their teams in the right direction during difficult times.