And the pressure is on because, according to reports, half of the cash has to be deposited with the bank within days. So for the Bradford Bulls, it is crunch time and, inevitably, the organisation’s leaders will have an instrumental role to play in the club’s recovery.

Right now, the leadership team has to galvanise the organisation’s supporters into coughing up the necessary cash, but the only way that this will happen is if people ‘buy-in’ to the solution being proposed.

Although crisis levels will differ from company to company depending on their circumstances, there are five similar characteristics that successful leaders tend to share in these circumstances and that HR directors need to nurture, support and demonstrate themselves. These comprise being able to:

 

 

People will move heaven and earth if they are emotionally attached to an organisation’s values and purpose.

Therefore, as a leader during times of crisis, it is crucial to ensure that the company’s goals and objectives are clearly aligned with the values of those around them. Effective leaders will be able to explain the value to others of moving in a given direction in order to gain that all-important buy-in.

In the case of Bradford Bulls, its values are a sense of team and community and its goal is survival.

2. Communicate effectively

It may sound obvious, but how leaders communicate with individuals when asking for support and commitment is absolutely crucial to the eventual outcome. Attention to detail is very important as is treating people like people rather than simply employees.

Effective leaders recognise the need to personalise their communications in order to be seen as authentic and real. A template letter with a generic, non-personalised printed message is unlikely to evoke the same level of engagement as a direct phone call or face-to-face conversation or meeting.

 

If face-to-face meetings are not possible, however, be sure to use people’s names rather than employee codes on any written communications.

The reality is that individuals will support a cause if they understand the issues and know what action they need to take in the short- to medium-term to get things back on track. But for this to happen, there must be open, clear channels of communication, often with personalised and bespoke messages.

3. Break down ‘them and us’ cultures

All too often within more traditional companies a ‘them and us’ culture exists, where the leadership team is viewed as an untouchable elite within the organisation.

This state of affairs is unproductive at the best of times, let alone during a crisis. Leaders looking to engage people and generate commitment to their cause will find it far easier to achieve if there is a level playing field.

This means that, if a gap exists between leaders and employees, it will need to be bridged by effective two-way communication.

By making their relationship with employees more personal, leaders will be able to encourage involvement and garner support. A feedback mechanism such as focus groups or an online forum will also help to ensure that staff ideas and opinions are acted upon rather than ignored.

4. Always be as open and honest as possible

The quickest way for leaders to dilute support and lose the confidence of employees in their decision-making abilities is to be deceitful. Conversely, being open and honest is the best way to gain the commitment of those around you.

During a time of crisis, ensuring that everyone is on board is vital, which means that there is no room for making misleading or incorrect statements. Failing to do so can have an incredibly negative impact as rumours start to fly and confidence takes a nosedive.

As a result, it is vital to communicate your goals using open and honest language – but, along the way, also be sure to recognise other people’s achievements and success in meeting those goals.

5. Find ways to motivate people

Leaders must consider the impact that a crisis situation will have on the workforce and identify ways to help motivate them during challenging times.

 

Think about how people can best be involved in helping to find a solution and how best to reward them for their efforts. In the case of Bradford Bulls, for instance, it might be useful to offer key financial backers the opportunity to meet and talk with players.

Perhaps a crisis is breaking out within your team or workplace right now or there may be tell-tale signs indicating that trouble is around the corner. Either way, by adhering to these five points, leaders will be well-equipped to navigate their way to safety.

Those who fail to prepare and are not willing to communicate openly and honestly to engage with staff will find that the journey is a long, arduous, and, in the worst case, terminal one.