The true test of an individual’s character isn’t when things are going well, no, it’s when the times are tough that their character is revealed.
This rule is also applicable to organisational leadership. The companies that successfully weather through a period of crisis are those that have the right senior management in place.
Neuro Linguistic Programming is of enormous help to any business because it gives these C-suite level executive the adequate tools to develop the right temperament and the emotional intelligence to manage their emotions and that of their subordinates prior, during and post crisis.
To ensure that you have a stronger team that can withstand chaos the next time it occurs, here are some suggestions:
1) Be vigilant and take note
During the period of crisis keep a watchful eye on your employees: assess them and make notes. Be mindful of the following people:
a) those who seem to be holding up
b) those who seem withdrawn from the situation
c) those who are predatory (i.e. those who are setting themselves up to thrive at the expense of others)
d) those who are looking out for the best interest and welfare of the team
2) Counselling and offer mentorship after the crisis
Once the period of chaos is over, meet with your team members, individually first, and then collectively. Share your notes and observation with them. Also, identify areas for improvement so they know what to do in the event of another crisis.
NLP Training is especially crucial when you’re giving individual counselling to your team members. You’re equipped with the right tools to gauge and manage their emotions so that they’re receptive towards your feedback.
3) Remember to check in with your team afterwards
It is vital that you (as the Manager) make the time to meet with your team members, a week after your initial conversation, to identify what has worked and what hasn’t.
The goal here is to get additional feedback on your initial recommendation and get your team members thinking of ways to further improve upon your suggestions.
4) Find out what they’re limits are
When things have settled down after the crisis, take the opportunity to see what your team member’s limit are by pushing them out of their comfort zone (e.g. assign them more responsibilities and tasks). This action would give you a good idea of how well they’ve been implementing your suggestions.
5) Re-assure them
Ensure that you let your team members know that you will be their pillar of support and defend their honest mistakes.
We have no control over the timing of a crisis, albeit, what we do have control over is our reactions to the crisis. NLP training, as you can see, is a great personal development tool for all parties involved at all points in a crisis.
