Kristin Ihle is a Psychologist with vast experience working with leaders going through crises. She is the founder of Avant consulting firm and serves as the president. Avant supports Fortune 200 firms and startups to manage strategic talent and the team’s performance. She’s always ready for the challenges of leading in tough times. Kristin spends some time at Nike as a professional athlete, supports NCAA coaches as a consultant, and enhances the effectiveness of a team.
Kristin Ihle believes that leadership is complex, and leaders should lead themselves first. She warns leaders that their words and behaviors are taken positively and negatively and notes that the best time for leaders to show their transparency, commitment, and confidence is during tough times. COVID 19 pandemic has been a global disaster, and many businesses have been heavily affected. Some closed down while others adopted a remote working model to survive. According to Kristin, the following steps can help during turbulent times like the COVID-19 era:
Setting a psychological tone
Kristin noted that leaders must endorse the present condition by confirming the truth, being genuine and transparent, and addressing rumors appropriately. She also advises leaders to listen to their employees, ask questions, and engage employees through various technologies such as social media to create a feeling of appreciation. It also helps leaders acknowledge the difficulties while instilling confidence.
Communication
Kristin Ihle advises leaders to have a communication structure that favors various modalities of passing information. She insists on the importance of communication even when one has no updates. Without proper communication, human beings can make any judgment. Leaders must work towards mitigating common rationalizations in communications such as I’m busy; this isn’t clear since there are no shared details.
Focus
Kristin Ihle stated that leaders should always help employees differentiate what they can and can’t control. They need to make clear steps to address what’s manageable. It’s not a new idea, and leaders have vast experience. Creating a sense of focus and plan gives people a sense of accomplishment. Kristin believes a goal is essential regardless of how small it seems. Like any other species, human beings are goal-oriented.
Kristin Ihle’s Advice to Leaders
