Leadership in Times of Tradgedy
It seems that there is no shortage of tragic events in the US and throughout the world, not to mention the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic that is in its third year. It is impossible as humans to separate our mental and emotional challenges from our work. Gone are the days when we believed that we can “check our personal lives at the door” and go to work. Leaders who know and honor this are often more successful because when employees are able to bring their humanity to work, they spend less energy trying to suppress their feelings and are often able to be more productive.
As leaders, it is incumbent on us to address hard topics, but before we can do that, we have to be sure we are prepared and able to do so. Dr. Brene Brown, research professor at the University of Texas - Houston and NYT bestseller, teaches that leaders must be willing to have hard conversations without trying to fix the problem or feelings for the other people. In order to do this, we have to be willing to do our own self-reflection and work to ensure that we don’t make it about us.
Key things to remember when addressing tragic events:
Timing is important. When an event happens, like the recent horrific hate crime in Buffalo or the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, it is important to address it right away. Waiting to make a statement, or not making a statement at all, causes employees stress and creates distrust. People want to know that their leaders are human and that they care about them.
Create a safe space for dialogue. Gather your team for a discussion. Open it by acknowledging the tragedy and that you know that your team may be affected by it. It’s important to let your team know that everyone responds to things differently, so this space is a judgement-free zone. Give others time to speak about how they feel. Reassure them that their feelings are valid. At the end of the conversation, offer a moment of silence to honor the victims. You will likely need to have more than one conversation like this.
Offer Supports. Check with your HR department to see what supports are available. Many organizations have an EAP where employees can go to get support. Provide the EAP information to staff. Assure them that their use of the EAP is confidential and what they share with the EAP is not shared with the organization. Make yourself available to support your staff if they come to you. It’s ok to be vulnerable and share your own feelings, while maintaining the boundaries of your relationship. Do not share your feelings in a way that makes them feel responsible for comforting you.
Reduce Stress and Burnout. Stress and trauma lead to burnout which is detrimental to the staff and to the organization. People who are experiencing burnout are less productive, often missing deadlines, and disengage from their work. Ways to reduce stress and mitigate burnout include offering flexible schedules, allowing remote work, providing work time for wellness activities, and analyzing work loads to ensure no one on your team has more than they can handle. Depending on your organization, you may be able to also offer gym memberships, wellness programs such as a subscription to a meditation app like Calm or Insight Timer, or other benefits to mitigate stress.
Another good idea is to implement a grounding exercise at the beginning of every meeting. It can be as simple as taking a moment and asking everyone to close their eyes if they are comfortable and to notice their breath for a minute. Suggest that they silently set an intention for the meeting. Then ask everyone to open their eyes and be present with the task at hand.
Manage Your Own Expectations. When a trauma occurs, it is unlikely that everyone will be able to fully focus on their work. As leaders, we must be able to manage our expectations of our staff. Nothing breaks trust and disengages employees like being told you care about them while simultaneously demanding high levels of productivity during a traumatic experience. Our actions need to match our words.
Lastly, remember that we are all human. Take time to take care of yourself and fill your own cup. Practicing self-care and healthy boundaries serves as a model to our teams.
