STEP 1: Understand Human Motivation

Yes, step #1 is to become part psychologist. You need to understand what is happening to you, your team, and your customers in order to move forward in an effective way. It frames everything you do during this time.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs focuses on understanding how humans operate. The bottom of the pyramid focuses on safety and security needs. Someone who is concerned about safety and security will not be able to move to the next level of social acceptance (e.g. teamwork) unless they have their safety and security needs met. As we move up the pyramid, we have self-esteem and self-actualization which are areas of confidence, self-motivation, and productivity. During times of success and economic growth, individuals, teams, and organizations were at the self-esteem/self-actualization levels of the pyramid. As a result of uncertainty, individuals, teams, and organizations have moved to the safety and security level of the pyramid.

What does this mean to you as a leader? You need to provide different leadership to individuals, teams, and organizations at the safety and security level versus the self-esteem/self-actualization level.  Individuals, teams, and organizations at the safety and security level need reassurance, simplicity, and frequent communication. Individuals, teams, and organizations at the self-esteem/self-actualization level need challenging assignments, freedom to grow and clarity of the strategic direction. If you provide the same leadership provided during the growth times, you will experience behavior such as lack of productivity, anger, push back on ideas, and demands for new information. All are signs that you have not shifted your leadership to meet the current needs.

“But my business is doing fine, so I don’t need to change.” Even if your business is doing fine, your employees, customers, and vendors are being affected by the current economic state. It may be their family members have been laid off, their 401K has shrunk, they can’t make their house payment or numerous other outside events that affect their needs when they come in the door to work. So recognizing the other factors will be critical to you leading effectively.

And what about you? Where are you on the hierarchy? Are you taking care of your needs so you can respond and take care of your organization’s needs? Leadership can be a lonely job. But you set the tone for your team or organization. So awareness and strategies to take care of your needs will influence how you lead your team.

STEP 2 – Have a plan!

During times of uncertainty, plans need to be nimble, shorter in time focus, and evaluated frequently.  You may need to restructure your planning team to make it more responsive and proactive. During growth times, we can have a 3-5 year strategic plan being evaluated annually that is developed with a large group of leaders in your organization. During uncertain times it is more effective to have a 6-9 month plan being evaluated bi-monthly with a small team of key leaders.

This plan needs to be communicated frequently with specific action steps that align all individuals and teams in your organization. Everyone needs to be walking the same path and focus to ensure survival of the organization.

Step 3 – Move closer to your customer/clients and vendors

Now is the time to create stronger partnerships and work to solve issues together. Customer loyalty – not just satisfaction – will be an important aspect to current survival and future recovery. But recognize that most of your customers/clients and vendors have moved down Maslow’s hierarchy as well. They need reassurance, a plan, simplicity, and frequent communication. Establish a calendar and plan of regular contact with these important partnerships for your organization.

Step 4 – Move closer to your employees

Your employees are the other important component of your leadership success. They are now being asked to do more with less at the same time as they are dealing with their own uncertainty. Often, companies cut too deep in a response to a financial downturn, leaving employees stretched too thin when the recovery occurs. They need the same thing your customers/clients and vendors need – reassurance, a plan, simplicity and frequent communication. Individual conversations during a performance review are not enough. Bi-monthly, if not weekly touch bases need to occur. Establish a similar calendar of frequent communication and regular contact. 

Step 5 – Improve, innovate, and stabilize process

Now is the time for greater efficiency. Questions to ask:

• How can we simplify our process for clients/customers? How can we make it easier to do business with?
• How can we simplify our process for our employees? How can we make it easier and more efficient for them to do their job?

Invite your clients/customers and your employees to be part of this questioning process. This is an opportunity to create greater efficiencies for the recovery ahead.

My experience is that most leaders will prefer to start with improving process (step 5), then plan (step 2), then spend more time with their customers (step 3) and ignore addressing the changes in motivations (step 1) and spending more time with their employees (step 4). It is easier to deal with steps 5, 2 and 3 than steps 1 and 4. But recognize the steps are put together for a reason. Your success in leading through the uncertainty will be directly related to starting at Step 1 and moving systematically to Step 5. This is a different time and a different need. Embracing the process will build an effective foundation for your business now and as you return to growth and stability in the future.

Dr. Cheryl Leitschuh, Ed.D. is a coach and consultant creating environments of success for individuals, teams and organizations.  For information on services and resources for individuals and organizations, email cheryl@career-future.com or visit www.career-future.com

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