The Ready Phase: Adapt & Prepare for What's Next

Every crisis is, almost by definition, disorienting. Who wouldn’t be staggered when their world is turned upside-down? That’s why leaders’ first task after the dust settles is to assure safety and clarity for those around them.

After righting the ship, it’s time to focus adaptation and preparation — what we call the Ready stage. Massive changes are taking place in every sector of society and in every part of the world, so leaders must accept that the old paradigms and ways of working may be obsolete. Without “best practices” or relevant experience to guide you, there is no existing playbook you can follow. Now is the time to pool your team’s wisdom and insight, and to challenge any established expectations that no longer fit in the current situation.

It’s also important to help your team look inward, as people may be grieving the comfort of routines and habits that no longer exist. Convene a team inventory to discuss what’s changing, what has been lost, what is being gained, and what is the same. Acknowledge the people who remain on the team, and appreciate whoever has departed.

We know that peer support is incredibly powerful, and the needs at this moment will be great. So encourage colleagues to openly share and manage whatever challenges they may be confronting, whether practical, emotional, or both. Look for opportunities to facilitate intimacy, and innovate new ways to solve problems and collaborate. Ask what your employees need to succeed, and work to deliver on their requests.

Consider which of your organization’s processes, policies, and procedures may be limiting your flexibility to adapt. Set aside old expectations that no longer provide value, and re-contract for the new situation by questioning whether the existing web of responsibilities reflect the current reality, or the needs of the past.

By acknowledging the depth and breadth of change, the leader can support the people and the organization through the depths of crisis. These efforts lay the foundation for the final stage of the process, the Rise.