Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Leadership in Times of Crisis
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis
Fundamental Questions Following a crisis, leaders must assess: What are my people going through? What is my organization going through? What does this mean? What can I do?
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Leadership in Time of Crisis
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Understanding the Impact of Stress Leadership during times of stress and crisis begins with understanding how stress impacts people
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Fear and Distress Response Behavior Change Psychiatric Illness Psychosocial Impact of Trauma Sources: Ursano, 2002; Institute of Medicine, 2003
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Each survivor’s disaster is unique Each survivor is unique Veteran's Administration & National Center for PTSD Individual Stress Response
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Individual Stress Response Physical Emotional Cognitive Behavioral Spiritual and Life-View
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis
Coming to terms with one’s own mortality Questioning one’s religious beliefs and faith practice Questioning who/what can I trust? Spiritual beliefs may be shaken (e.g., "How could God cause this destruction?") Loss of security in "terra firma" that the earth is "solid" and dependable People lose their illusion of invulnerability; anyone can be in the wrong place at the wrong time A sense of meaninglessness Life-View and Spiritual Reactions to Trauma
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis
Fundamental Questions Following a crisis, leaders must assess: What are my people going through? What is my organization going through? What does this mean? What can I do?
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Organizational Impact: Ongoing Stressors Actual or perceived decreased safety High cost of lasting impact Pursuit of medical and psychiatric opinions People coping with issues related to grief/loss of dreams, increased financial strain, stress, family concerns, physical needs Harsh judgments if emergency decisions were handled poorly (or not!)
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Organizational Impact: Ongoing Stressors Tolerance within and between systems often decreases as stress, role conflict, and extreme fatigue set in Difficulty concentrating at work/increased mistakes Irritability with others Absenteeism and presenteeism Ongoing financial concerns Adapted from: Veteran's Administration & National Center for PTSD
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis The Impact of Critical Incidents on Workgroups Productivity Requires that Employees: Be healthy enough to return to work and function effectively and safely Be assured of their safety and not be afraid of returning to work Trust in the leadership and desire to return to work Have their loyalty rewarded to remain committed long term Marsh Crisis Academy
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis The Cost of Doing Nothing “The pure rage that stems from unredressed injury can be more fearsome than that produced by the original wrong.” — Gerry Spence Founder, Trial Lawyers College
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Fundamental Questions Following a crisis, leaders must assess: What are my people going through? What is my organization going through? What does this mean? What can I do?
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Making Sense of the Senseless
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Finding Meaning “…the degree to which people can ultimately come to an understanding of such events in the early aftermath may help restore a sense of security and hasten the process of adaptation.” Updegraff, Silver, and Holman (2008)
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis In Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, the term tragic optimism is defined as “an optimism in the face of tragedy and in view of the human potential which at its best allows for: (1) turning suffering into a human achievement and accomplishment; (2) deriving from guilt the opportunity to change oneself for the better; and (3) deriving from life’s transitoriness an incentive to take responsible action.” Tragic Optimism
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Meaning Attribution Attribution Theory studies how people make sense of their world Heider posits that there is a strong need in individuals to understand transient events by making attributions of cause and effect to: 1.Internal Disposition – What does this say about me? 2.External Situation – What does this say about my environment? The purpose is to achieve a sense of order, predictability, and cognitive control
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Implications Of Meaning Attribution The meaning one assigns has a profound impact on recovery trajectory In the absence of an alternative, many individuals will assign a negative meaning to a negative event Harsh judgments will follow, either internal (pathologizing) or external (blaming) A timely and robust response can: 1.Offer a resilient message to individual employees 2.Position leadership to guide effective organizational recovery
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Fundamental Questions Following a crisis, leaders must assess: What are my people going through? What is my organization going through? What does this mean? What can I do?
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Leading in the Storm…
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Vision (Understanding Corporate Needs) Action (Plan to Facilitate Resiliency) + = Leadership in Times of Crisis From Michael Useem’s, The Leadership Moment
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis
Phase-sensitive Leadership Deprivation Basic resources Isolation Connectivity Chaos Structure Helplessness Efficacy Victim Survivor
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis “It is important to note that it is not the coping skills that individuals have or do not have that are important. What counts are the coping skills that individuals believe they have or do not.” (Ray, 2004) Importance of Vision
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis The Burden of Leadership Emotional toll Isolation is costly “Game face” can’t come off Reluctance to utilize services
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Leadership in Times of Crisis – ACT! Acknowledge and name the situation Communicate pertinent information with competence and compassion Transition to a future-focus, emphasizing adaptive functioning and/or refer to additional care
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis The ACT Guidelines Provides an adaptable framework Easily communicated during EAP management consultations Lends structure to leadership interactions Positions leaders to lead – the first step in risk management and crisis mitigation following an event
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis ACT Acknowledge Acknowledge what has happened Summarize what has happened Present objective and credible information Deliver information with sensitivity Serves to: control rumors, reduce anxiety, and return a sense of control to impacted individuals
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis ACT Communicate Communicate competence and compassion Visible leadership communicates care and concern for those involved Transitions to specialist (if utilized) Provide information about common reactions to critical incidents and what can be done to exercise resiliency
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis ACT Transition Information about Coping – Emphasize resiliency Practical Assistance - determine basic and practical needs Linkage with Collaborative Services - transition individual to appropriate level of support and provide information. (EAP, counseling center, community resources, written communications and web resources, telephonic support via a number, to continued personal assistance/ intervention)
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Case Study – The Tucson Shootings
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis The Search for Meaning
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis A Leadership Moment Acknowledge
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis A Leadership Moment Communicate
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis A Leadership Moment Transition
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis Final Thoughts Questions?
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived; however, if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” Maya Angelou
Restoring Calm in Times of Crisis