In business and in life, we view crises as something to avoid at all costs. We go out of our way to mitigate risks and will pay consultants big money to help us manage disasters when they do occur. But no matter how much we plan, some things are beyond our control, like the economy, the weather, or the political environment in which we operate. Risk is an inherent part of life. The question becomes how we react when—not if—trouble strikes.
Too often, our fear of what could happen when everything goes wrong keeps us from seeing a crisis for what it could be: a turning point. A chance to do things differently than we did before. With that idea in mind, here are four compelling reasons that a crisis could be the best thing to happen to your business. A good crisis:
- Gives you the chance to hone your communication and mentorship skills. During times of crisis, employees look their managers for guidance. This is our opportunity to explain the situation, share our plan for getting through it, and address any concerns our team may have. For younger, less experienced employees, a periods of trouble and uncertainty can by very scary. A crisis gives us the chance to show them how to handle a difficult situation with confidence and grace under pressure.
- Forces you to take stock of your people, processes, and goals. The disruption that comes with a crisis obliges us to take a hard look at how we operate and see where there’s room for improvement. It affords us the opportunity to answer questions like: What can we do differently in the future? Do we have the right people in the right positions? Are our people set up for success? Are our goals reasonable given the new realities of our situation? Are our processes in line with our goals? These are often issues that we don’t often think about when everything is going well.
- Encourages you to break out of the status quo and innovate. Crises often require you to do more with fewer resources than normal. Depending on the type of problem you’re up against, that might mean working with tighter budgets, reduced access to staff or facilities, or unusually aggressive deadlines. Rather than view this as a hardship, I see it as an opportunity to challenge my team. I encourage my employees to innovate, to find creative ways to work smarter and operate more efficiently. I make it clear that I’ll give them credit when things go right — and that if things don’t work, that management will take responsibility. In doing so, my staff feels empowered instead of helpless. And occasionally, I gain insights that make my organization more effective once the crisis is over.
- Can improve team dynamics. You may know from firsthand experience that going through a traumatic event with someone else can make you feel closer to each other. What you may not realize is that it can actually make you work more effectively as a group. Recent research shows that painful experiences function as social glue, promoting bonding and cooperation.
Crises are an unavoidable part of life, so why fight them? If you embrace the challenge and are willing to change, it’s possible to come out even stronger than before.
There are no magic rules for handling a crisis — it’s one of those subjects where comparing experiences with others is often the most effective tool for learning. Has your company ever discovered unexpected upsides when facing a crisis?
Article by Samer ABBOUD, Managing Director at Memac Ogilvy & Mather – Qatar
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-crisis-could-best-thing-happen-your-business-samer-abboud
Categories: