What people need during a crisis:

  1. Frequent communication – You don’t have to have all of the answers, but people want to hear from you often anyway. Be candid and talk through what you know and what we are doing, every day, or even more often.
  2. Calm positive leadership – You don’t have to pretend to know the future, but panic and negativity are infectious. We can’t always change what happens, but we can change how we will react and respond.
  3. Honesty – You lose credibility if you tell them something that doesn’t match what they know or believe. This is new for everyone, but make sure you aren’t manipulating or stretching. Be candid and truthful with what you know now.
  4. Planning and initiative – You don’t have to make final decisions, but they want to know that you are talking through and planning for various future scenarios and contingencies.
  5. Empathy – Don’t pretend that nothing is wrong or dismiss their concerns. Help them process with facts and rationale, recognizing they may have different concerns or issues than you.