How to Be a Good Boss in a Bad Economy

How to Be a Good Boss in a Bad Economy

Remaining attentive to your staff in times of crisis.

Author(s): Robert I. Sutton

Publisher: Harvard Business Review

Date of publication: 2009

Read this article on the publisher's website [Harvard Business Review]

Summary

How can you keep the trust of your staff in the darkest times? One of the great dangers in a period of crisis consists in giving in to your own priorities and preoccupations. How can I improve the cash flow? How can I secure the customers? How can I position myself in this reorganization? Etc. Yet, in times of upheavals, the staff need more than ever the support of their manager and leaders.

This article invites the reader, in a beneficial manner, to take a step aside to become aware of the most critical needs felt by the staff, and to provide them all the due attention: being able to anticipate on what is going to happen; understanding why things are happening the way they are; feeling they have some control over what is happening to them; perceiving empathy. By making sure to take them into account, you stand a much better chance of moving smoothly through the crisis with your teams.