Managing People in Distracted Times
In general this guidance is geared for teams where the average individual has 5-10 years of professional experience. In my experience with more senior teams, people want to process domestic and geopolitical unrest on their own. As always, do what is right for your circumstances and follow HR guidance.
1. A BIG COLLECTIVE DEADLINE
When your team is heads down working through a big collective deadline:
Make your weekly syncs optional with prioritized written updates in a logical location for folks to come back to.
Repeat deadline/mission critical information a few times, verbally and in writing. Eyerolls are a good indication of effective communications.
Keep your calendar current. Seems table stakes and I’ve seen people go MIA at bad times.
Set time for a group debrief on the thing. Maybe make a team scratchpad for thoughts that arise in the moment. This will help your team stay focused and give them an opportunity to learn at a known later time.
Set time for group fun. Create an opportunity for them to shake it off, laugh, commiserate. Something to look forward to.
2. DOMESTIC and/or GEOPOLITICAL UNREST
Emotions are contagious. If you need a few minutes to manage yourself, take it. It’s ok if you are raw and processing, just remember to not seek your team’s support in your own processing. You are there for them. And you are not a therapist. Unless you are, and then you know more about this than I.
As management it's ok to share if something has impacted you personally. It’s important to recognise loss, to condemn injustice. If the circumstances are unclear or evolving it is sometimes better not to express an opinion, especially an unsolicited one. Doing so risks establishing a right/wrong sentiment, dissuading authenticity within your team. It also risks interpretation as a press for people to process publicly, which is not necessary.
Often the workplace is the first place we gather in the aftermath of a circumstance which makes it a natural place for sorting through feelings. While it may be tempting to gather as a large group, studies have shown that it often exacerbates tensions. As a senior millennial combined with my own nature, when I get to work I just want to get on with work. People are different.
Most workplaces have good resources to support people in their processing.
3. KNOWN and or ANTICIPATED CHANGE
In addition to your regular 1:1 schedule:
Create regular group touchpoints with clear agendas in advance that make space for context and conversation. Rumors will proliferate. They will be less impactful if you create space to address them. Be sure to document discussions for inclusion.
Show your work. I found that particularly in distracted times it was useful for my team to understand what I was prioritizing, which helped create space for them to flag things for my attention. I’ve found it helpful to periscope out and be future focused in these circumstances to help smooth the landing of future change management.
Be present with your team but not omnipresent. If the work is getting done let them focus. As always, don’t make this about you.
4. UNANTICIPATED CHANGE
Layoffs, immediate resignations, sudden illness or death do happen. I think a lot of what is helpful from you as a manager falls under scenario 2 with the addition of emotionally managing the absence of a person.
A niche thing that I’ve seen happen in tech: the use of the term ‘survivor’s guilt’ where there is not a death circumstance. For people who have served in conflict or disaster zones this term often holds a literal meaning. Job loss, resignation, while absolutely difficult for all parties involved, is not death.