How To Be An Ethical Leader During A Crisis

How To Be An Ethical Leader During A Crisis

 During times of crisis, it’s natural for our focus to become very singular. We go into survival mode, prioritising the things that will help us endure until life returns to normal.

While this is understandable, it’s often not the best course of action when it comes to people management.

Leaders who focus on saving the company at all costs may ensure it stays afloat during the storm, but end up paying the price when the dust settles and the bigger picture comes back into focus.

Ethical leadership is about balancing the needs of the business with those of your employees. It’s never an easy task, even at the best of times. But if you succeed, your team – and your business as a whole – will be stronger.

So, what does it look like to be an ethical leader? And how can you get the balance right amidst uncertainty?

Read on for our Spicey insight.

How To Be An Ethical Leader During A Crisis

Why Ethical Leadership Is Vital To Success

Can a business succeed if the leaders are unethical?

A recent study published in the Journal of Business Ethics reveals that it is possible, but only for a brief period. For long-term success, ethical leadership is vital. And this is even more important during times of crisis.

Ethical leaders are better at engaging and retaining staff, and a culture of ethical leadership ensures your business becomes an employer of choice.

People vs Profits

During the early days of the pandemic, things changed so rapidly that businesses were at risk of getting whiplash trying to keep up. And while we’re a way down the road from that now, an element of uncertainty is still present.

Decisions often need to be made rapidly, putting the pressure on managers. Amidst the unpredictability of life, employees look to leaders to provide clarity, honesty, and a sense of stability. Managers must rely on empathy to communicate with their teams, but need to retain a fact-based approach to assess business decisions.

And there are tough decisions to be made. Do you choose your employees over financial rewards? Profit over people? And where do you draw the line? How do you do the right thing when everything feels wrong?

Ethical leadership isn’t about perfection. Sometimes, the right decision isn’t necessarily the easiest or most comfortable one. But as long as managers are guided by ethics, their choices will be the right ones.

When your employees can see that you are doing your best by them, they tend to rally. There’s a bond created by feeling as if “we’re all in this together.” Instead of jumping ship during tough times due to a lack of faith in management, staff are more willing to make sacrifices to help the business survive.

Qualities Of An Ethical Leader

There’s no flowchart for ethical decision-making: every business and situation is unique. However, there are specific guidelines to help managers find their way to ethical leadership.

We love the V.I.T.A.L method referenced in an article by the Human Resources Director.

This method of crisis communication provides a roadmap to help business’s work through difficult times using five key concepts:

  • Visibility – don’t hide behind others by delegating the uncomfortable discussions. Communicate with your people rapidly and often, even if it’s to let them know you are still waiting for more information.
  • In It Together – always refer back to your business’ mission, vision and values. Create a culture of inclusion and empowerment.
  • Transparency – share what you know, don’t hide bad news, address rumours, and keep your employees as informed as possible.
  • Accessibility – be available for your people, and let them know where to turn when they have concerns or need support.
  • Listening – really hear your people when they talk to you. Understand where they are coming from, and give them an outlet to speak up.

Remember, your customers and future potential employees are far more likely to remember how your business behaved during a crisis than how high your profits were during that year.

Ethical leaders must strive to model the values of their business when making difficult decisions. This means embracing integrity, authenticity, and compassion. It’s about being real with your team, especially during hard times.

Ethical leadership is as important to us as it is to you. Which is why we want to help you embody it within your HR policies. Reach out to us today to chat about how we can Spice you up as an ethical leader!

What Do New Year Resolutions Look Like This Year?

What Do New Year Resolutions Look Like This Year?

At times it felt like 2020 was never ending. Finally, the time has come to farewell that crazy year. But just because the calendar has flipped to a new number, that doesn’t mean everything is going to magically return to the old normal! For many people, life and work look very different from this time last year. So how should we approach this year? What new year resolutions should we make, if any, and how do you approach leadership when things are still so changeable?

Don’t fret; Spice HR have your back and are here to help guide you into the months ahead. So let’s dive in boots and all.

Grand New Year Resolutions

For many people, the New Year becomes the opportunity to assess their lives and set new goals. Perhaps they will think about a new job, going for a promotion, or reassessing their current career path.

This may still be high on some of your employees’ list of resolutions, but other factors may have more sway than in previous years. With so many working remotely, changing their working habits, or experiencing higher amounts of stress than usual, employees may be prioritising things like work-life balance, flexible work hours, health and wellness.

For organisations, now is a great time to reflect on what worked well and what didn’t. It’s a great time to revisit goals and values and decide what should be carried through and what should be laid to rest in 2020.

Why not set a few New Year’s Resolutions for your team? These resolutions can help shape your HR priorities for the coming year and provide focus to the organisation. Think about things like:

  • Ensuring diversity and inclusion in the workplace
  • Attracting and retaining valued employees
  • Encouraging and supporting health and wellness
  • Supporting learning and development
  • Changing your approach to performance management

Communicating Missions, Vision and Values in Uncertain Times

Okay, we know a lot has changed in the space of a year, but some things remain the same. Effective communication is still a top priority, regardless of whether times are calm or rocky. And communicating well comes back to the basics of trust, transparency, candour and empathy.

Leaders have had a crash course in crisis communication this past year and will need to continue honing and developing those skills for the months ahead.

One way to unify people in uncertain times is to reconnect them with the organisation’s missions, visions and values. Hard times can create chaos in teams, but with the right leadership, they can also build stronger team bonds and enhance culture.

Whilst we need to acknowledge that there may well be more unknowns to come, reminding employees of the bigger picture is key. If your organisation is connected to a strong mission and purpose, this is reflected in resilient, hopeful individuals who are capable of looking past the short-term confusion and focusing on the long term mission as a whole.

Motivate Your Team for a Positive New Year

As at any time of year, managers must lead by example. Positivity is vital, but try and strike a balance – over the top rose-tinted glasses aren’t called for: be upbeat but keep it real.

Leaders that project confidence and resilience can help their teams navigate uncertainty. Draw on what you and your team learned last year. Take time to celebrate the wins, acknowledge the challenges, and be transparent about the strategy for this year.

Get Ahead of the Game

If you spent most of 2020 feeling like you were on the back foot, you are not alone. But 2021 doesn’t have to be quite so confronting! With psychometric testing using extended DISC, you can get ahead of the game and start 2021 with a positive communication plan, along with a leadership and development pathway for every employee in your team.

This system helps you manage the different personality types in your team, effectively improving self-awareness, communication and teamwork.

If this sounds like a great way to kick off the New Year, contact us at Spice HR to find out more!

Tackling The Beginning Of An HR Decade In Your Business

Tackling The Beginning Of An HR Decade In Your Business

Well, a new decade is underway, and you know what that means, right?

Yep; it’s now been nearly 30 years since the Spice Girls hit it big!

How time flies, it feels like just yesterday that we were listening to them (maybe that’s because it was!)

Our favourite 90s girl power band were together for less than half a decade. Poor planning, perhaps? Don’t let their tragic end be the fate of your business.

The dawning of a new decade is the perfect time to start with a clean slate, plan some long-term HR objectives, and get to work on powering towards your goals. 

Begin With The End In Mind

Someone once said that every minute spent organising is an hour earned, and we couldn’t agree more. Every successful business works from a plan, and yours should be no exception.

When you and your team are clear about the priorities for the months and years ahead, you have structure, direction, and a shared vision that just makes everything flow.

Review your company’s vision, mission, and strategy, come up with SMART objectives, review past successes and failures, and you can start charting your course to success.

Ten-Year Planning

Granted, it can be daunting for any business to try and come up with a ten-year plan. In most industries, it is impossible to predict global trends or events that might impact how things go.

Staying on top of the latest research helps, but a ten-year plan will need to be flexible and adaptable.

However, when it comes to HR, it is a little more manageable to come up with a plan for the next decade. You may already have a general idea of which key employees may retire or move on. That means you can develop a succession plan complete with training and incentives to retain and attract high-performers to keep things running smoothly.

Snack-Size Your HR Objectives

“Plan in decades. Think in years. Work in months. Live in days.” We love this quote from Nic Haralambous. It perfectly sums up how you should approach your long-term business goals.

While it’s hard to imagine what the world will look like in ten years (let alone your life), it is relatively simple to predict the next 12-24 months.

After all, it’s what you do in the next year or two that will impact that ten-year plan. Take those ten-year goals and chop them up into annual objectives.

From there, divvy those goals up into bite-sized monthly and weekly plans. This is your best way to make 2020 a stepping stone for a successful decade.

Communicate Your Mission, Values, And Objectives

Great, so you’ve done the hard work and know where your ship is sailing to for the next decade. Now it’s time to let the crew in on the plan. After all, your map is nothing if you don’t give it to the people helping you navigate.

Here’s how to effectively communicate your strategy to all employees, both existing and incoming:

  • Summarise it into easy to digest, bite-sized, consumable snippets of information
  • Tell a story to create purpose and vision
  • Make the strategy part of everyday company culture
  • Clarify every individual’s role in achieving objectives to ensure buy-in
  • Check-in regularly with your employees to review the mission
  • Engage employees in the strategic process
  • Align individual goals with broader business goals
  • Acknowledge and reward progress
  • Keep everyone updated on where you stand in relation to your objectives
  • Walk the walk at all levels

The beginning of a decade is an exciting time. The years stretch out ahead of you and you can take steps to control the outcome of those years now.

Any good business is only as strong as its team members. Ensure the success of your business with the right people culture. Get in touch with the Spice Gals today to help ensure your HR practices are on the right path for future success.