Huma Siraj
Leading through tough times means using communication to rally and support your team.
A crisis hits operations hard. It really puts leadership, company culture, and everyone’s dedication to the test. In those situations, fresh values often come into focus. Workers start seeing their organization and its leaders in a whole new light. When uncertainty feels overwhelming, the way you talk to people turns into your best tool for keeping the group on track, fired up, and emotionally balanced.
I have gone through several financial messes myself. From that, I picked up something key. Even a solid company faces outside pressures that can shake it up. Staff members watch leaders closely. They notice the confidence in responses, the calm under fire, and the clear way messages come across. People look to us for guidance, sure. They also need that emotional backup to feel secure.
Strong communication goes beyond just the words you pick. It involves how you present yourself, the channels you choose, and sticking to your core mission and principles without fail. Here are some ways I have handled talks that built real trust, stronger bonds, and drive when things got intense.
Vary the Ways You Get Your Message Out There
Back when the COVID-19 outbreak first hit, I kept firing off emails like COVID Memo number four or number seven. Those covered the latest on what was happening, choices the company was making, and steps workers could do right away. A few were straightforward, like telling folks to switch to working from home that day. Others took a more thoughtful angle. The point was, every one came from a real place. Team members appreciated it and let me know.
After a particularly rough week that had everyone on edge, I decided to record a quick video on Zoom. It stayed straightforward, steady, and pointed toward better days. Adding that face-to-face element hit harder than any written note ever could. In some cases, the way you deliver it says as much as the content itself.
Let Your Team Have Room to Bring Up Their Questions
Talking should never flow just one direction. It did not take long for me to see that simple updates fell short. Folks wanted a place to share worries, mix-ups, and even suggestions without holding back.
We set up this thing called Ask Nancy Anything. It let employees drop in questions and rank the ones that mattered most. The whole group could check out what others were thinking about. They picked up on my push for openness when I tackled the hard ones, or owned up to not having all the answers yet.
If you go with a video response, here is a pointer. Keep the camera rolling on you. Look right into it while speaking. That way, they catch the real feeling behind your words.
Share Stories That Spark Hope and a Sense of Fitting In
One big value we hold is making sure people feel part of the group. Nothing does that better than good stories.
The Monday right after Silicon Valley went into shelter-in-place mode, we turned part of the team meeting over to sharing tales. Over thirty-two years, the company had weathered five big crises. We went through one story from each. We covered the lessons, the ways it molded our ways of working together, and how we ended up tougher for it.
The result caught me off guard. In a week ripe for losing focus, the crew put out top-notch efforts. They reworked four training tools into online versions faster than ever. Those stories handed them a real sense of why we were doing things, sharper focus, and the guts to push forward.
Use Symbols That Lift Spirits
In hard stretches, symbols can pop up on their own. They turn into strong signals of resilience that stick around.
One time during an optional online get-together, a worker told how her son with Down syndrome showed her what bravery looks like. She even signed the American Sign Language sign for brave. That little move caught on. It grew into our go-to gesture. A subtle nod to guts that popped up in meeting after meeting.
Keep Circling Back to the Vision, Over and Over.
Disruptions from a crisis can rattle daily habits and outlooks. A solid vision keeps the group grounded. If the main goal has not changed, keep pointing everyone to the larger reason and the end goal past all the mess.
Toward the close of one video message, I moved in closer to the screen. I told them this. We are headed to the same spot as before. Once we arrive, we will look back proud at what we pulled off during these rough patches. That went beyond a quick line. It stood as a firm commitment. One that brought steadiness, belief, and fresh energy.
Steering a Team in Crisis Calls for Real Guts
Handling leadership when things fall apart is not for those scared off easily. It takes sharp focus, straight talk, keeping emotions in check, and steady messaging that does not quit. Get it right, and it does more than ease worries. It builds up the culture, grows trust deeper, and ramps up output exactly when you need it.
The way you handle communication right now will color how the team looks back on this whole period later. Step up with openness, understanding, and rock-solid dedication. Your folks are paying attention. They stand ready to step up alongside you.
