When a crisis hits, look for the opportunities

When a crisis hits, look for the opportunities | practice | Stuck for a solution? Spend more time daydreaming Created for {EMAIL} | [{NAME}]( at [{NAME}]( [For more relevant content - Update Your Profile]( | [Web Version]( February 28, 2023 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading the Way [] [When a crisis hits, look for the opportunities]( [When a crisis hits, look for the opportunities]( (marrio31/Getty Images) Leaders can guide their companies through a crisis by keeping customer needs front-and-center while seeking to pivot toward new growth opportunities and building strategic partnerships to support future stability, writes Marshall Aronow, the cofounder and CEO of MetTel. Manage employees' concerns as things change by using the SCARF method to keep them updated on changes while giving them a sense of certainty and autonomy, writes Marshall Bergmann, the senior vice president of global sales for the NeuroLeadership Institute. Full Story: [Quartz]( (2/24), [Chief Executive]( (2/24) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: Creating psychological safety for your employees -- especially in times of crisis -- can result in more engagement and a willingness to take on new roles. "Imagine what you could do during a recession with turbocharged teams like that," Bergmann writes. [] SmartBrief on Leadership [] [Stuck for a solution? Spend more time daydreaming]( [Stuck for a solution? Spend more time daydreaming]( (Anthony Harvie/Getty Images) Leaders -- much less their teams -- can't come up with imaginative and original solutions to the problems that vex them without creating a habit of spending time in imagination and creativity, writes Alaina Love, CEO of Purpose Linked Consulting. "Start small, build momentum and then focus that collective power on something in your business that would benefit from a fresh approach," Love writes. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (2/27) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: To build an effective creativity practice, find activities that spur your imagination, don't judge the ideas that come up and perfect your own practice before introducing it to your team, Love advises. [] [Read more]( from Alaina Love on SmartBrief on Leadership [] Smarter Communication [] [Crisis communication lessons from the train derailment]( The derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month provides crisis communication lessons for leaders including moving swiftly to communicate what's being done, any initial findings, what's coming next and being fully transparent, writes podcast host and author Edward Segal. "Speed is important when looking into the cause of any crisis," Segal writes. Full Story: [Forbes (tiered subscription model)]( (2/24) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Put it into practice: It's essential to stay focused on your core message in a crisis, which is about addressing the needs and concerns of those directly affected by the situation, Segal notes. Free eBooks and Resources Free eBooks and resources brought to you by our sponsors - [4 Simple Productivity Improvement Points To Dominate Your Day]( - [The Ultimate Guide To Developing Self-Discipline]( - [30 Life Lessons Learned in 30 Years]( - [How to Find Average Salary Information for US Workers]( - ["I Will Teach You to be Rich" Book Summary]( [] Smarter Strategy [] - [What it takes to succeed in the coming M&A wave]( McKinsey (2/24) [] - [When change efforts fail, look for these 3 causes]( Digital Tonto blog (2/26) [] - [Can studying global economic trends better inform your strategy?]( Forbes (tiered subscription model) (2/14) [] In Their Own Words [] [Why being intentional isn't enough for successful DEI]( Ann Harrison, dean of the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, says when leaders are dedicated and act in a systematic way, they can make progress on diversity, equity and inclusion, proven by her success in diversifying both the student body and faculty over the past four years. In addition to being intentional, Harrison also says organizations need "to focus on the pipeline" and find "resources to make these changes." Full Story: [McKinsey]( (2/24) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Remember that mall food court smell? Take a new tour]( [Remember that mall food court smell? Take a new tour]( (Pixabay) Walk into any mall food court and the smells alone can transport you back in time, writes Jaya Saxena, who visited the Queens Center Mall in Queens, New York, to take in and describe the unique olfactory experience. Sbarro's aroma was that of "a child's birthday party," while Cinnabon brought back memories of "huffing those scented markers we had in elementary school" and KFC, Saxena writes, "smells like a promise that this time, when you order it, it'll live up to its peppery potential." Full Story: [Eater]( (2/22) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] SmartBreak: Question of the Day [] [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] About The Editor [] Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Candace Chellew Crises are something every leader will face -- whether it's on a large scale, such as a pandemic, or on a smaller, more localized scale -- but the methods for tackling them remain the same: [building resilience](, looking for new opportunities and [retraining or upskilling employees]( to cope with the changes. Before these crises arise, though, [Alaina Love]( may have the best advice to prepare: Create a habit of imagination that can help you be in the creative space required to think in new ways and see around corners. Do you have creative time set aside? If you do, how has it helped you when challenges arise? [Let me know](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com)! If this newsletter helps you, please tell your colleagues, friends or anyone who can benefit. Forward them this email, or [send this link](. What topics do you see in your daily work that I should know about? Do you have praise? Criticism? [Drop me a note](mailto:candace.chellew@futurenet.com). And don't forget to send me photos of your pets, your office and where you spend your time off. [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. Help Spread the Word [SHARE]( Or copy and share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=japnABMSAp [] [] I think this year I really realized I'm living that dream. [Jennifer Coolidge](, actor [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email](   SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE](mailto:lengel@smartbrief.com) SmartBrief, a division of Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036