Are you familiar with the term “nomophobia”? Nomophobia is what happens to people when they don’t have access to their cell phones. It stands for No Mobile Phobia.
Is this real? People actually get nervous when they are out of touch and will experience anxiety if they don’t have a way to communicate with others?
Here is an interesting thought. Do people get nervous and have anxiety when they aren’t in touch with their managers?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve found people want results and feedback right now. If they are addicted to staying in touch with what is going on in the world, they probably are addicted to knowing what is going on at work too.
With the rapid rate of change, employees want to be a part of making a difference and impacting change in their daily priorities. In other words, they must receive feedback and feel the results of their actions right now.
Employees are interested in the immediate:
- What are we trying to do different today?
- What are we trying to do better?
- How will what I’m doing right now impact me?
- Am I a part of the big picture?
People want to have a sense that they’re not just adding to that big picture, but that they’re a part of it as well. If they don’t feel like they’re “in on” what’s going on around them, they get frustrated and are out of touch.
Why People Get Charged Up During A Crisis
When there is a crisis within the organization, people rally together and work as a team to find a way to fix the problem. There is a sense of urgency that impels the team to act and implement their solutions as soon as possible. There is synergy because people band together and share ideas for the benefit of the team as a whole.
The following five reasons are why this happens:
1. Everybody Gets to Hear About the Situation
There is a feeling of needing to be informed and to know what everyone else knows. In uncertain times, it’s always a comfort to know that the people around you are going through the same things that you are.
2. Short-Range Objectives Are Provided
The solutions the team comes up with must be accessible and doable. They must be immediate goals that people can get their hands on and achieve.
3. There Is a Sense of Urgency
Everyone involved must feel the gravity of the situation and the need to get it resolved right away. If there is not an air of emergency among the group, the team members’ attention may wander and the crisis may not get the attention it deserves.
4. People Are Enlisted to Help
Everyone likes to feel needed, and when you’re trying to solve a problem, more hands often make for easier work. When people feel as though they have a stake in the project, they are more likely to give their all to get it done.
5. Managers Are Accessible and Involved
To ensure a successful outcome, those who are doing the hands-on work feel support from those who are “in charge.” When employees see leaders getting in there and working on the problem just as hard as they are, they feel better about the work they’re doing. And they feel more empowered to see it through to resolution.
Crisis Takeaways
When all of these components are present during a crisis situation, the result is a collective win. Not only does the problem get solved, but the employees feel better about themselves, their jobs, each other, and even about upper management.
They have seen that through mutual support and teamwork, they can overcome any obstacle. “Crisis moments” are good for showing people what they’re made of and what they’re capable of when they’re working at their best.
Leadership Challenge
Our challenge as leaders is to keep this synergy, direction, and purpose alive on an ongoing basis. We can do so by taking a cue from the model we outlined above, which works in any situation.
There’s no need to wait for a crisis to be a great leader. Utilizing your leadership communication skills is something that should be done on a daily basis to ensure your employees are in touch with you and receive immediate feedback.
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Let us know how you keep people informed and stay in touch. Thanks!
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Mary,
Great thought-full content, the truth behind it(5 points). Thanks for updating us
Here’s what I see from a consultative end: more and more we are prodding the non-profit leaders we work with to take a serious look at the results of their marketing team’s efforts. Immediate results and feedback allows everyone to be up-to-date on successes and failures and be able to continue to chart a course for future outreach efforts.
A good article. In the workplace, we are in a synergy-preferred world, where the presence of each level, including that of the leadership,gives the sense of “completeness.”
this article is very strong to me!