Be empathetic to the concerns and fears of others. In turbulent or difficult times, many employees are understandably anxious about their futures. Will they be a casualty of downsizing or layoffs? If so, how will they meet mortgage payments or feed their families? An effective leader will strive to put themselves in the mindset of an employee and, to the extent practical, alleviate their concerns. But in this exercise, be honest and factual. If their future employment status is questionable, the employee needs to know that. Uncertainty fuels anxiety.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Bill Merck.
William (Bill) Merck has experienced a lifetime of experiences in the working world that all contributed to success in leadership roles. To be fair, there were blowouts along the way…