“The chaos right now in our organization is overwhelming,” Lara revealed during our executive coaching session. At the time, her company had just hired a new CEO, and the ripple effects of change were traveling throughout the organization. “I need to keep my team focused and encouraged, but anything I say feels fake and distracting. Should I just stay quiet until things calm down?”
How to Speak Confidently to Your Team During Chaotic Times
What to say when you don’t have all the information.
August 25, 2023
Summary.
These days, many employees feel like they’re constantly receiving a stream of bad or confusing news that affects their work in unpredictable ways. When they only hear simple summaries from their leaders about issues they know aren’t so simple, teams can feel frustrated and even angry. Next time you feel you need to say something, but you’re not sure what to say, try these three strategies: 1) Recognize the power of “and” — it allows you to align two seemingly separate thoughts, such as “things are difficult and things will be okay.” 2) Teach the past to arm the future. Unpacking the past and connecting it to the present can help you create more certainty. 3) Adopt a more experimental mindset. This can help change feel less risky.
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New!
HBR Learning
Leading People Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Leading People. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What you need to know about being in charge.