A recent post on the Harvard Business Review Linked In Group by Anastasia Bagryantseva was simply titled “A crisis is a terrible thing to waste”. 

Members obviously resonated with the comment as it attracted 458 comments and 237 Likes (I didn’t bother looking at the Likes on the Comments or Comments on the Comments – that would just be crazy!)

But here is a question for you:

What does the comment “A crisis is a terrible thing to waste” mean for you?

For me I reflect on all sorts of events in my life that could qualify as a crisis.  I have experienced periods that were traumatic and required a critical decision to be made.  I have experienced a number of turning points that qualify as a crisis.  I have experienced emotionally stressful events that due to the heights of conflict and tension required me to deal with it head on and resolve the situation so I continue on.  Each and every crisis required me to do something different.

In the HBR group Helmar Schmidgall offered a different comment “wars bring havoc as well as major breakthroughs in technologies and changes in society”

Helmar is absolutely correct.  Why is it that in war, a terrible crisis, are new technologies created and society evolves faster that it does normally?  The answer is war is the trigger.  It creates an opportunity for people to make a decision, to be influenced to do something different and/or to exert influence over others.

We have all experienced a crisis of one sort or another.  But regardless of the size, a crisis by definition is a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something.  Therefore whether the crisis is real or perceived it is a great opportunity to influence others because of the situation it creates – think of a crisis as a trigger for change!  Yes at times it will be a big hairy unwanted trigger but a trigger none the less.

A crisis as a trigger for change! 

Therefore if a crisis hits you or your organisation I can guarantee it will bring a healthy dose of uncertainty with it.  You often won’t know with certainty what you should do to resolve the crisis.  Therefore the use of Consensus and Authority will be extremely powerful in moving people in your desired direction.  If you are the one experiencing the crisis look outside of yourself toward the actions of those most like you or seek the advice of a recognised expert.

If the crisis involves others then look to the relationship.  This is the perfect time to build, repair or enhance your relationship with them – why because in a crisis no one wants to be alone!  Identify the things you have in common.  Work together to get through the crisis.  Praise them for what they are doing well.  If it is significant for them give them the gift of your time, expertise, network or effort.  Whatever you decide to do, show people they are not alone and don’t be afraid to throw the pronoun “we” around.  “We” is the fastest and easiest way to describe a relationship.  If it is you that is in crisis look to friends or those you have a working relationship to help you work your way through it.

Finally, be mindful of your reaction to the crisis.  If you, your organisation or someone else is experiencing a crisis, be careful of just focusing on the impending loss.  If Scarcity is at play and loss is a reality (hence the word crisis) be sure to show the other person the clear steps to move away from the loss.  If it is you, look to the steps you can take to mitigate loss and move out of the Scarcity mindset into a problem solving, action focused solution.

The biggest thing is breath.  Slow down and think about the opportunities you have to influence a crisis.

Here’s your chance!  Tell me about how you influenced (or could have differently influenced) your way out of a crisis!

 

 

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