Learned Lessons in Crisis Management
I've been fortunate enough to have experienced crisis in my work and personal life. The more exposure I had, the more I learned about myself, others and the organization.
A crisis is an event that occurs when you least expect it and that could lead to negative consequences if it is not handled correctly. Everyone has lived a situation in which one unexpected event completely derailed the project. It wasn't a lack of preparation or planning, but something else that wasn't in your control.
The Shock Factor
No matter how much preparation you have, you cannot avoid the "shock" factor. It is hard to fully function and to react fast when your mind is busy processing the information that you just received. You need to accept the "shock" factor and move on — don't try to deal with your feelings, just start assessing the situation.
Assess the Situation
Gather information about the situation so you can inform your team and create a plan of action:
- What exactly happened?
- When did it start?
- Who or what triggered the event?
- What are the potential damages?
- Is there a workaround?
- What are my options?
- Can our team handle the situation?
- Which teams and resources do I need to solve the problem?
- Who do I need to notify immediately for other teams to act?
Once you have basic information on the cause and the scope of the possible damages, you need to create a plan of action. Your team will start a chain reaction that involves different skills and departments.
Communication
It is critical to have constant communication among the team and project stakeholders about your findings and plan of action. This is critical so everyone is aware that a crisis has happened and that your team is working on it. This is also for other departments to take actions in their own projects and lines of business.
Teamwork
Leaders and team members should be available to follow up on the resolution of the crisis, so any time they are needed for their expertise or for reaching higher levels in the company, they can open channels. I mean available to be able to support — not just to get updates.
I've been surprised by the amount of support that team members provide to each other. They go the extra mile, get their hands dirty, and stay together until the end to solve the problem. Unfortunately, I've also been disappointed by team members and leaders that avoid any responsibilities. I cannot stress enough that in a crisis, all company levels should be available and willing to help in the resolution.
Working on the Resolution
This is when you and your team are working on the resolution of the crisis. You already have a plan of action and your team is actively finding a solution. The key for the team members is to understand the problem, do their own research first with the resources they have, and then include the teams that can provide detailed information about specific areas.
Your team will have to create hypotheses and iterate over and over. Time is against you, and you need to make educated choices based on the facts, the data, and the expertise of the team.
Be assertive when you know that you are close to the answer. I've had cases where other teams discarded my hypothesis, but only after I kept pushing did it turn out to be the right path. Other times, I was wrong and the solution wasn't related to my hypothesis. The key is to assess how sure you are — based on actual facts — that your hypothesis is correct.
The Aftermath
Once the crisis is solved, everyone is tired, and the best thing that you can do is to give them a break. Having a meeting to learn about the experience and document the root cause of the problem and the solution will help everyone solve the problem again if it happens. Preparation, practice and available documentation will improve the response time of your team.
Try to Avoid
Feelings of frustration and helplessness are part of the crisis. It is extremely important to focus on solving the crisis and not focus your attention on pointing fingers. Creating a hostile and tense environment will only close channels of communication with your team and others that could potentially help you.
Blaming and punishing is an old-fashioned type of leadership. It comes from a hierarchical structure where levels must be respected and everything must be authorized and overseen, and there is no room for mistakes.
Summary
Crises are part of everyday life. You cannot fully prepare because there are so many unknown variables. However, you can create a framework and best practices to deal with them. You need to bring different expertise and lines of business together to understand the problem.
I've learned that the best way to successfully overcome a crisis is full support of the team, keeping a positive and supportive leadership, and keeping track at each stage of the solution so there is growth in the team as part of a crisis. Nurturing and having the best connections with the team in a moment of crisis will lead you to a successful outcome.