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Watching the destruction of Hurricane Harvey hit close to home for me. I live in Austin, Texas, a few hours north of Houston, Corpus Christi and the coastal bend. I watched with shock and despair on social media as my friends and their families reported on the toll that this disaster has taken on our state. Despite the destruction, it’s also been inspiring to watch neighbors and strangers help each other out. I was struck by how building ad-hoc teams during a crisis highlights a key negotiation skill - the ability to rapidly build trust.
I had experienced a similar dynamic on the campaign trail or when I had to respond to political crises. At a time when emotions are running high and people are coming from all over to help out, rapid internal negotiations had to be made to get teams to think strategically and collaborate effectively. I wondered if what I sensed was accurate, that tactics used in leading disaster response could lend insight into managing teams in a different context but also negotiating under pressure? I reached out to my friend Carl Cowan to test my theory.
Cowan has been working in emergency response for 15 years, including emergency communications, municipal 911 response, community paramedicine, and emergency management education. He is currently an emergency manager at a higher learning organization in Boston and served as a critical-care paramedic with an international crisis response organization. His travels have taken him to command centers all over the globe, and he's managed disaster response teams in many different situations. Cowan confirmed that using clear and steady communication in an emergency goes a long way towards building team trust. He shared with me five key team management tactics including using body language, active listening skills, focused goal setting, and acting with respect and courtesy. While certainly not an exhaustive list, these tactics that have helped him bring together collaborative teams in the midst of crisis.
Make strong eye contact.
While it might seem like a basic tip, eye contact matters. "Making strong eye contact with team members is surprisingly effective at ensuring important information is received and digested," said Cowan. He also mentioned that being mindful of eye contact can be especially helpful during status updates and other times when team members might be distracted and also need to be updated with critical information.
Ask team members how they would solve the problem at hand.
Active listening skills are key to both problem-solving and to building team cohesion. When Cowan meets new team members, he will ask members to share their name and their assessment of how to achieve a stated goal. "This is not always possible or appropriate in the disaster response setting but is an excellent way for people to form a quick conversational bond with teammates," Cowan said. Cowan also mentioned that this could be an opportunity for the team leader to figure out the team's understanding of the situation through listening deeply, as well as provide an opportunity for the team to pose questions or clarify objectives.
Use short, clear motivational phrases to refocus a team's effort.
In the middle of a crisis, the likelihood for getting distracted is high and each moment can mean the difference between life or death. Being able to focus and refocus goals can be key to encouraging continued efforts of the team, particularly when leading from the front. "People who have spent time around me in a response capacity will probably tell you I use motivational phrases like, 'let's go,' or 'get after it' in the midst of tasks to refocus teammates and encourage continued effort," Cowan mentioned. Again, since every moment matters in emergency response, keeping that communication short and attention spans focused is vital.
Take care of your team.
Hopefully, stress management activities have been practiced before a disaster or incident occurring. Practice might look like reviewing procedures, roles, and responsibilities of each team member, and clarity in understanding team roles may reduce anxiety during the heat of the moment. During a crisis, Cowan mentioned that leaders should strive to promote the safety and well-being of team members at all times. This might include recurring briefings so that everyone on the team has updated knowledge of the situation. It should also include providing safe areas for breaks and ensuring staff has a means to communicate with their families and each other. Also, finding a way for teams to talk about what happened after the event can be effective in helping relieve stress.
Separate tasks from procurement or planning.
Having a high performing team during a crisis means being flexible in leadership style and knowing when to get the team to execute tasks and when to get the team to be creative. Cowan mentioned that task-driven objectives may be best accomplished through a traditional directive-style mode, whereas figuring out how to locate resources or planning activities might be a collaborative opportunity. Cowan also mentioned that both situations require the ability to effectively communicate and make a strategic decision on whether the situation calls for a directive or collaborative solution.
Cowan's takeaways are fundamental and profoundly important when leading a team during a crisis. Just like when you are negotiating a high stakes deal, people operate differently when flooded with adrenaline, pressure, and stress. Leaders are the team members we look to that can steady a team and help people maintain focus, as well as effectively collaborate and solve problems.
