Leadership is easy when business is booming, sales are strong, teams are engaged, and the outlook is bright. But the true test of leadership comes during uncertainty. Economic downturns, industry disruptions, internal conflict, or sudden change demand a different kind of leadership.
During a crisis, employees are not only looking for solutions. They’re looking for stability, trust, and reassurance that the organization is still moving forward. When leaders go silent, panic, or make reactive decisions, it doesn’t just impact morale; it accelerates turnover.
A crisis doesn’t just challenge a company’s strategy. It challenges its culture. A strong culture can hold a team together. A weak one will crumble under pressure.
Chellie Phillips, author of Culture Secrets, emphasizes that leaders can crisis-proof their culture using the V.A.L.U.E. Culture Formula—Vision, Accountability, Leadership, Uniqueness, and Engagement. This model equips organizations to keep their people engaged, connected, and committed through any storm.
1. Vision: Give Employees a Reason to Stay Focused
Uncertainty naturally creates fear. Employees begin to question their roles and future.
- “What does this mean for me?”
- “Is my job safe?”
- “Does leadership have a plan?”
In these moments, a company’s vision becomes more important than ever. Even if strategy must adapt, people must see that the organization has purpose and direction. According to Harvard Business Review, employees who are reminded of a bigger mission during change are significantly more likely to stay engaged.
Culture Killer: Losing sight of the company’s mission, leaving employees confused and disconnected.
Culture Builder: Reinforcing the vision consistently, helping teams see the future beyond current challenges.
Leadership Tip: The core mission should stay visible even if priorities shift. Clarity brings stability.
2. Accountability: Stay Transparent and Preserve Trust
One of the leading causes of employee disengagement during a crisis is loss of trust. When leaders hide information, avoid tough conversations, or deliver empty reassurances, people fill in the gaps with worst-case scenarios.
Honest, clear, and frequent communication is the antidote. McKinsey & Company emphasizes that transparency and trust are among the strongest predictors of employee confidence during uncertainty.
Culture Killer: A culture of silence or sugarcoating creates confusion and erodes trust.
Culture Builder: Leaders who communicate openly, explain their decisions, and provide consistent updates—regardless of whether the news is good or bad.
Leadership Tip: People can handle hard truths. What they can’t handle is feeling ignored.
3. Leadership: Show Up and Lead with Strength
During a crisis, leadership presence matters more than polished strategy. Employees want to know their leaders are engaged, accessible, and making decisions with confidence and compassion.
According to Gallup, how leaders behave in a crisis is the strongest predictor of employee engagement. Visibility and empathy are key.
Culture Killer: Retreating into survival mode and disconnecting from employees.
Culture Builder: Staying visible, offering clarity, and showing care—even when making tough calls.
Leadership Tip: Your team will remember how you showed up in the hard moments. Lead in a way that builds trust, not fear.
4. Uniqueness: Treat Employees as People, Not Numbers
Difficult decisions like restructuring or layoffs may be necessary, but how they’re handled defines a company’s culture for years. People don’t forget how they were treated when times were hard.
- Express appreciation for contributions.
- Provide support and options where possible.
- Help remaining employees feel valued and secure.
Culture Killer: Handling layoffs with no communication, no support, and no empathy.
Culture Builder: Treating all employees with respect, gratitude, and transparency.
Leadership Tip: Your reputation as an employer depends on how you handle adversity. Lead with integrity.
5. Engagement: Keep Teams Motivated, Even in Uncertainty
A crisis can sap energy and connection from even the strongest teams. Employees who feel helpless or excluded from problem-solving will begin to disengage. But if they’re part of the solution, their commitment deepens.
- Involve teams in strategy and recovery.
- Celebrate small wins to keep momentum.
- Foster connection to combat stress and isolation.
Culture Killer: Ignoring employee effort and letting stress go unchecked.
Culture Builder: Keeping communication open, energy high, and recognition flowing.
Leadership Tip: Even in hard seasons, employees need to feel seen, supported, and essential to the comeback story.
Final Thought: Crisis Reveals the Strength of Culture
Culture isn’t built during the easy times. It’s proven in the hard ones.
- A strong culture holds teams together and builds loyalty.
- A weak culture fractures under pressure.
When leaders reinforce the Company’s vision, communicate transparently, lead with purpose, treat employees with care, and maintain engagement, they don’t just survive a crisis. They build a stronger, more resilient organization.
How leadership responds in these moments defines the culture that will carry the Company forward.
Explore Chellie Phillips’ book Culture Secrets or listen to the Culture Secrets Podcast for real-world leadership tools and strategies to create a culture that thrives under pressure.
About the Author
Chellie Phillips is a workplace culture expert, speaker, and bestselling author dedicated to helping leaders create thriving, people-first organizations. Through her V.A.L.U.E. Culture Formula, she equips businesses with the tools to build engaged teams, boost retention, and drive long-term success. Learn more at www.chelliephillips.com.
Published by Jeremy S.
