It’s easy to be at the helm during prosperous and steady times. However, when hardship strikes, a leader’s true nature shows through. In uncertain periods, leaders have to adapt quickly and face challenges head-on. Fortunately, there are several tactics leaders can apply to endure any calamity.

Communicate Stability

Leaders need to maintain and convey some form of constancy. The company’s values, purpose, and mission should remain steady, even though day-to-day operations might change. Organizational members feel more secure if they see that leaders’ thoughts and actions are consistent with what the company is trying to achieve.

Lean on Training

No leader can thoroughly get ready for all adverse events. While training doesn’t completely prepare one for real-life scenarios, it’s still a viable tool to help leaders handle difficult situations. Leaders should avoid doubting their abilities and training. Instead, they ought to rely on their knowledge so that they can respond to events quickly.

Listen Compassionately

There is no more critical time to build trust than during hardship. Showing compassion and actively listening enable leaders to convey difficult news and minimize misunderstandings other staff might have. Allowing others to express their concerns helps staff feel their leaders listen to them.

Manage Fear

Feeling fear and having courage aren’t mutually exclusive. The most courageous leaders feel apprehension occasionally, but they don’t let it prevent them from making important or tough decisions. They also don’t let their fear infect others. The best leaders can feel fear and still have confidence.

Mission Comes First

During adverse moments, focusing on the mission is more important than ever. Good leaders demonstrate they can do whatever it takes to achieve the organizational mission at little to no expense to staff and subordinates. Leaders also need to show they put the mission before their interests.

Prioritize Effective Communication

Withholding information or communicating it in unclear ways often exacerbates a problem an organization is experiencing. Shutting down communication in favor of the immediate task is dangerous to business operations and the leader’s ability to provide direction. Effective communication should remain a priority because all members need to know what’s going on and what they can do to help remedy a situation.