How can you stay focused during a crisis?

Defining priorities is crucial during a crisis. Once set, rehearse your Crisis Response Plan (CRP) to perfection, echoing Malcolm Gladwell's emphasis on the power of practice in "Outliers." This isn't mere repetition but a strategic effort to refine your response, identify mistakes, and make necessary adjustments. Incorporate feedback for continuous improvement and remember the importance of self-care for mental and physical resilience. By planning, practicing, and adjusting your CRP, you navigate crises with confidence, focusing on what truly matters.

Developing a strong mentality is crucial for staying focused in times of crisis, in my opinion. One way to empower oneself to adjust swiftly and remain grounded in the face of chaos is to embrace uncertainty as a chance for progress, not a cause for concern. When situations get rough, it might help to cultivate mindfulness through activities like meditation or deep breathing. These can help you stay grounded and calm as you face problems. The secret to staying focused and effective when faced with challenges is to find a balance between planning strategically and taking care of yourself emotionally.

Visando priorizar suas ações, recomendo utilizazar o método ABC, agrupando tarefas em categorias (A: alta importância, B: média importância, C: baixa importância) para direcionar seu foco para as atividades mais relevantes.

At times of crisis, one of the most important priorities should be transparency. When one is transparent and honest, they don’t have to worry about the drip-drip-drip that follows from being “careful” about what is shared publicly or with key constituencies. Whether customer or funder, supplier or ally, friend or employee, one wants to know that you 1) understand the seriousness of the issue, 2) are taking it seriously, 3) are doing what is needed to quickly resolve it, and 4) are doing so with all stakeholders in mind. That on,y comes from prioritizing transparency. Without it, too many will believe you are only interested in covering up, even if you just don’t know what to do next.

Staying focused during a crisis can be challenging, but some strategies that may help include: 1. Prioritize tasks. 2. Break tasks into smaller steps. 3. Limit distractions. 4. Practice mindfulness. 5. Take breaks. 6. Stay connected. 7. Focus on what you can control. 8. Set realistic goals.

Identifique as tarefas que podem ser delegadas e escolha os membros da equipe mais adequados para cada uma delas. Defina expectativas claras, forneça instruções precisas e incentive o feedback para garantir que todos estejam na mesma página. Confie na capacidade de sua equipe para executar as tarefas delegadas, concedendo autonomia para que tomem decisões e resolvam problemas de forma independente.

In order to prioritize your actions, I recommend using the ABC method, grouping tasks into categories (A: high importance, B: medium importance, C: low importance) to direct your focus to the most relevant activities.

Delegating roles and responsibilities is crucial, particularly in times of crisis. This allows you to effectively manage your resources and calmly address the immediate conflict.

Em situações desafiadoras, contar com o apoio e a expertise de outras pessoas pode trazer novas perspectivas e soluções que talvez você não teria considerado sozinho. Delegar tarefas de acordo com as habilidades e capacidades de cada membro da equipe não só alivia sua carga de trabalho, mas também promove um ambiente de confiança e cooperação. Além disso, a comunicação clara e frequente com a equipe e outras partes interessadas é essencial para garantir que todos estejam alinhados com os objetivos e as ações a serem tomadas durante a crise. Em resumo, a colaboração e a delegação são peças-chave para manter o foco e enfrentar desafios de forma eficaz durante uma crise.

Was kann, darf und muss delegiert werden? Wenn das Abgeben von Aufgaben schwer fällt, kann folgender Rat helfen: 50% aller Aufgaben erledigen sich oft von alleine. Was im Moment wichtig erscheint, existiert vielleicht nur in unserer Vorstellung oder weil jemand etwas besonders laut gefordert hat. Diese dringenden, aber meist strategisch nicht wichtigen Aufgaben KÖNNEN wir getrost delegieren. 25% MÜSSEN wir delegieren, weil es Menschen gibt, die diese Aufgaben schneller und besser erledigen als wir. Die restlichen 25% sind die wichtigen Dinge, auf die wir uns persönlich fokussieren müssen. Wenn wir erkennen, dass wir aus zeitlichen, gesundheitlichen und anderen Gründen unser Ziel verfehlen, nur dann DÜRFEN wir delegieren. Nicht vorher.

Once the team has been structured and you're in a position to delegate, the distribution of crisis management allows you to free up some rest time so that you can calmly deal with the situation you're facing. For example, in the case of a long-term crisis, a system of on-call duty and rotation will allow you to set aside time for rest. When the tempo is too fast, you can rely, for example, on the institution of rotating break times, so that the crisis unit remains operational while allowing everyone to get some fresh air regularly.

Em tempos de crise, é crucial cuidar bem de si mesmo para manter o foco e a resiliência. Fazer pausas regulares ao longo do dia, mesmo que curtas, pode ajudar a manter a clareza mental e evitar o esgotamento. É importante encontrar um equilíbrio entre o trabalho e o autocuidado, reservando um tempo para atividades que promovam relaxamento e bem-estar, como meditação, leitura, caminhadas ao ar livre ou hobbies que tragam prazer. Além disso, cuidar da saúde física com uma dieta equilibrada, exercícios regulares e sono adequado é essencial para manter a energia e a concentração. Buscar apoio emocional também é fundamental; conversar com amigos, familiares ou um profissional pode ajudar a aliviar o estresse e a ansiedade.

The third step in crisis management is taking breaks and practicing self-care. It's crucial to avoid working round the clock without proper rest and care. There's nothing worse in crisis management than someone who hasn't slept well, isn't properly hydrated, or barely eaten trying to make critical decisions. It's a misconception that we must remain mobilized 24/7. Designate someone for coordination to ensure you can take breaks when needed.

*From moment one: Prepare yourself mentally to go with the flow. *A crisis will not follow a template: embrace quick pivots that help with the state of the crisis NOW, not what it was 2 hours ago. *Remain calm, logical, and stay focused on your objective.

In a crisis, it's crucial to schedule time for analyzing actions taken. For short-term crises lasting a few days (e.g., media response or reputation plan), I suggest 30-minute checkpoints two or three times daily. This allows for adjustments based on feedback. To do this effectively, it's essential to have means for gathering feedback and measuring results, established in the first team meeting. If the team is large enough, designate someone solely for monitoring and analysis. In smaller teams, this role can be shared among several members, creating a dedicated feedback loop.

En mi experiencia, es fundamental mantenerse con la mente clara y consciente que todas las crisis tienen su fin. Es por esto que el trabajo en equipo se transforma no solo en deseable, sino que necesario para poder afrontarla correctamente y poder mantener el espíritu del equipo firme, ya que aumentan las posibilidades de que alguien del equipo se frustre o se "bloquee" y no sepa cómo actuar. A mi gusto, después de una crisis es muy importante que los líderes sepan valorar al equipo, y destacar su esfuerzo, sin darlo por sentado, especialmente porque las crisis llegan en los momentos más inesperados y no siempre estamos preparados para actuar.

Reconheça seus pontos fortes, conquistas e valores, e celebre suas pequenas vitórias e marcos. A gratidão pelas coisas boas da vida te ajuda a manter o foco no positivo. Em vez de se concentrar nos problemas, direcione sua energia para encontrar soluções eficazes. A busca por soluções te aproxima da superação da crise. Pratique a autoafirmação e cultive pensamentos positivos que te motivem e te inspirem. A positividade mental te fortalece e te ajuda a superar os desafios.

To stay focused during a crisis, it's crucial not to succumb to constant positivity or absolute negativity. Aim to remain as objective as possible. Recently, I witnessed the abrupt departure of a CEO in a crisis scenario. When facing situations like this, intelligent reaction is key. Despite initial plans, none included contacting the individual directly. However, a colleague close to him suggested reaching out. This mediation helped alleviate part of the problem. In such moments, it's important to express gratitude and commendation to those involved.

Optimism is contagious. We can be realistic and optimistic at the same time. Some things are going well. You are making progress in certain areas. This is good news. A crisis is handled one step at a time. And you’re moving forward.

Um eine Krise mental zu überleben, müssen wir lernen, resilient zu werden. D.h. wir müssen widerstandsfähig sein, an neue Herausforderungen flexibel anpassen und uns schnellstens erholen. Resilienz geht über positives Denken hinaus. Der österreichische Psychologe Viktor Frankl hat den Holocaust in einem Konzentrationslager überlebt, weil er in tiefster Not nach Sinn in seinem Leben suchte. So konzentrierte er sich jeden Tag darauf, etwas Neues zu lernen, das ihm helfen konnte zu überleben. Indem er seine Gedanken in die Zukunft richtete, löste er sich von seiner im Moment erlebten Krise. So machte er sich frei von den Rahmenbedingungen seiner Krise. Allein seine eigenen Gedanken und Entscheidungen waren seine Wegweiser durch die Krise.

Según mi experiencia, las crisis son de las grandes oportunidades de aprendizaje en el ámbito laboral. Cada crisis es diferente y nunca existirá un protocolo exacto para cada crisis. Además, es fundamental compartir las reflexiones con el equipo, dado que especialmente en una crisis hay que considerar absolutamente todas las aristas y perspectivas.

Cut out the noise. Focus on the crisis at hand. Stay optimistic but also realistic. Force yourself to think unconventionally.

In crisis management, particularly regarding media and communications, staying focused hinges on having a solid preparedness plan. Surprisingly, a study from last year revealed that just 51% of companies have a formal crisis response strategy. This oversight can be detrimental during critical times. A well-crafted crisis plan ensures clear workflows and defined responsibilities. It’s about having a scalable, repeatable process ready. It's about understanding your risks ahead of time. If you wait until a crisis hits to assign roles and responsibilities, you’ll find it much harder to focus on effectively managing the situation. Proactive preparation is key to maintaining control and focus during a crisis.

Deal with the crisis BEFORE it happens. The vast majority of crises are predictable. Identify them, know them, create the playbooks, and make the decisions before it happens. When the crisis hits - execute. Part of the playbook should be the decision-making tree, indicators of what to measure, and when you need to move from one play to the next because a shift took place. We called this "momentum shifts" - knowing when momentum has shifted and what that means from changing course. Practice this over and over again because people WILL panic in the moment and will want to make different decisions but they aren't thinking clear and just buckling under pressure. Trust the system... Play the book.

1. First begin by recognizing & accepting the crisis 2. Secondly, ensure that you prioritize your objectives, tasks and goals 3. Thirdly, creating a structured plan will be useful 4. Managing stress and emotions is key 5. Seeking support and maintaining self-care 6. Desperate measures for desperate situations is golden