How to Be a Good Leader in a Bad Economy

“我每天的工作都充滿了反轉(zhuǎn)。我被迫打破承諾，重新調(diào)整優(yōu)先事項，總是事后懷疑。這讓我很累，我覺得我在浪費來之不易的善意。”一名高管團隊的成員在一次交談中告訴我，“我想暫停一下，談談我如何在糟糕的經(jīng)濟形勢下成為一名好領導?！?/p>

“My days are full of turnabouts. I have to go back on promises, reshuffle priorities, and I second-guess too much. It’s wearing on me, and I feel like I am spending hard-earned goodwill,” a member of an executive leadership team told me in one of our sessions. “I want to pause for a moment and talk about how I can be a good leader in a bad economy.”

理論上，通過制定久經(jīng)考驗的策略為經(jīng)濟衰退做好準備，這位高管就是一位優(yōu)秀的領導者：更加親力親為，與團隊關系更加密切，設定更快的節(jié)奏，并要求員工處理更大的工作量。然而這些舉措不但沒有釋放能量并灌輸信心，反而讓領導者和員工都身心疲憊。努力建造堡壘的過程中，他們感覺像要燒了房子一樣。

On paper, this person?was?being a good leader by enacting tried-and-tested strategies to prepare for an economic downturn: becoming more hands-on and moving closer to their team, setting a faster pace, and asking people to handle bigger workloads. But instead of releasing energy and instilling confidence, these moves were wearing the leader down — and their employees, too. In their effort to build a fortress, they felt like they were about to burn down the house.

高層和管理者們可能非常熟悉這種感覺，他們預計在新冠疫情的余震之外還會出現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟衰退。人們普遍認為每次危機都會讓人變得更強大，有更好的應對能力。但事實并非如此。疊加的危機往往會讓大家更加脆弱，也更加不穩(wěn)定。

This feeling may be familiar to executives and managers who are anticipating a recession on top of the aftershocks of the pandemic. The common thinking is that each crisis makes people stronger and more able to cope. But this is not the reality. Compounding crises tend to make people?more?vulnerable — and more shaky.

這種不穩(wěn)定性構成了一個巨大挑戰(zhàn)。這意味著人們采取的一些正常的危機應對措施不會起到預期作用。事實上，如果領導者按照既定標準行事，就像我們在開頭提到的高管那樣，他們實際上可能反而會引發(fā)有破壞性的惡性循環(huán)，加劇危機。

This shakiness poses a formidable challenge. It means that some of the normal crisis responses people turn to won’t work as intended. Indeed, if leaders use the standard playbook as-written, much like our executive at the beginning of this article, they actually risk setting off a destructive spiral and making the crisis worse.

要在當前形勢下成為一名成功的領導者，我建議把握好三個關鍵平衡：在不打壓他人的前提下拉近距離；采取快速適宜的行動；在不犧牲人際關系的前提下承擔或分配更大的工作量。

To succeed as a leader in this moment, I suggest three key balances people need to get right: moving closer without suffocating others; moving faster without turning frantic; and taking on or assigning a bigger workload without sacrificing relationships.

輕松拉近距離

Moving Closer Without Suffocating Others

出現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟衰退跡象時，領導者的第一反應往往是拉近與員工的距離。召開更多會議，要求更多報告，每次談話都要有更多細節(jié)。這很自然——領導者想了解當前情況，為找到解決方案出一分力，想確保團隊在正軌上，并盡他們所能來解決問題。

When there are rumblings of an economic downturn, the first response from leaders is often to move closer. More meetings are called, more reporting is required, more detail goes into every conversation. This is quite natural — leaders want to understand what is going on. They want to help find answers. They want to make sure their teams are on track and doing what they can to fix the situation.

然而從心理上講，拉近距離的動力往往出于一種對掌控感的需要。拉近距離是一種冒險的策略，也是一把雙刃劍。疫情暴發(fā)后，團隊已經(jīng)學會了在監(jiān)督減少的情況下獨立運作，老板在背后的監(jiān)控可能會讓員工感覺完全不被信任以及被剝奪了權力。這也會把他們的注意力從完成工作轉(zhuǎn)移到“向上管理”。結果可能是令人窒息而不是激勵。

Psychologically, however, the impetus to move closer is often a need to feel in control. Moving closer is a risky maneuver and a double-edged sword. On the back of the pandemic, where teams have learned to operate independently and with less oversight, a boss looking over their shoulder can feel like outright distrust and disenfranchisement. It also draws their attention away from doing their job and on to “managing upwards.” The outcome may be stifling instead of stimulating.

此外，如果離員工太近，領導者就會被關注細節(jié)和微觀管理阻塞了溝通帶寬。最糟糕的情況是，領導者正式接手了下屬的角色，因為他們認為自己可以做得更好。例如我觀察的一家金融機構中，一位高層領導因為擔心可能失去一位大客戶而過于沮喪，于是沖進團隊與客戶正在舉行的會議并打斷了他們的談話。他氣喘吁吁，汗流浹背，焦躁不安，站在員工身后一邊觀察一邊提問。之后他解釋說，他在那里只是為了保證員工做好他們的工作和“激起員工熱情”。毫無作用；公司最后還是失去了這位客戶，理由是“一個充滿敵意、不成熟和瘋狂的環(huán)境讓他們感到不舒服”。團隊最終解散，優(yōu)秀的員工辭職。

Further, if leaders move too close, they clog up their own bandwidth with details and micro-management. The worst-case scenario is when a leader formally takes over their subordinates’ role because they believe they can do better. At a financial institution I was observing, for example, a top leader was?so frustrated about the prospect of losing a large client that he marched into a meeting his team was having with them and interrupted the dialogue. He was short of breath, sweating, and agitated, and stood behind his employees to watch and ask questions. He later explained that he was only there to “secure that you do your job right” and to “fire up the crew.” It didn’t work; the company lost the client, citing “a hostile, immature and frantic environment that made them uncomfortable.” The team eventually dissolved, and good people quit their jobs.

可以肯定的是，拉近距離自有理由，比如領導者希望把自己的判斷建立在第一手經(jīng)驗的基礎上，或者通過親臨前線表示支持時。但要記住，拉近距離的意義在于動員、激勵和支持，不要控制和脫離，要用人不疑。一個平衡的方法是“淺談即放手”，與團隊溝通他們面臨的問題，但也不要把他們肩上的重擔攬到自己身上。一個好的測試方法是，不要列出一長串需要你為團隊解決的問題，而是讓團隊清楚他們的問題，并明白他們現(xiàn)在可以重新控制方向盤。

To be sure, there are some legitimate reasons to move closer, like when leaders want to ground their judgment in first-hand experience or signal support by showing up on the frontlines. But they must remember that the point of moving closer is to motivate, energize, and support; not control, disengage, or sow doubt. A balanced approach is “touch and go,” engaging with teams on the issues they face, but also not taking the weight off their shoulders and onto your own. A good test is to make sure you don’t end up with a laundry list of things you need to fix for the team, but rather that your team knows?their?laundry list and understand that they now have control of the steering wheel again.

拉近距離但不要監(jiān)控員工，并且有一個明確的退出策略。一旦有了足夠的觀察，就把掌控權交還員工。

Move closer — but don’t hover — and have a clear exit strategy. Once you have seen enough, give the power back to your employees.

快速適宜行動

Moving Faster Without Turning Frantic

第二種典型的反應是認為采取行動就是好的。危機時刻，領導者不能袖手旁觀，時機至關重要。這點從開會的緊張節(jié)奏以及領導者的語氣或不安的舉止中就可以感受得到。

The second typical response is a healthy bias for action. In times of crisis, leaders cannot sit on their hands; time is of the essence. You can almost feel it in the jittery pace of meetings, as well as in a leader’s tone of voice or restless demeanor.

然而，緊急和瘋狂之間只有一線之隔。領導者必須記住，疫情使許多人變得更加脆弱，而不是更有韌性，壓力和心理健康問題激增。因此盡管大多數(shù)人明白應對危機需要速度，但他們對領導“咄咄逼人”的容忍度遠低于2020年之前的水平。

However, there is a fine line between urgent and frantic. Leaders must remember that the pandemic has made many people more brittle, not more resilient. Stress and mental health issues?have skyrocketed. As a result, while most people understand the need of speed in a crisis, their tolerance for “pushy” leadership is much lower than it might have been prior to 2020.

要解決這個問題，領導者應該審視自己在經(jīng)濟困難時期容易陷入的心理陷阱。一個常見的原因是，人們認為他們的時間比實際要少，所以會給自己強加假想的截止期限?！拔覀円谠碌浊罢业浇鉀Q方案”的想法很可能會制造緊迫感，但如果更好的解決方案原本還要幾個月才能想好，那么假想的截止期限可能就會犧牲價值，換取速度提升的假象。

To address this, leaders should examine the psychological traps they tend to fall into when economic times get tough. One common one is that people think they have less time than they actually do, so they come up with imaginary and self-imposed deadlines. “We need a solution by the end of the month” may create urgency, but if the better solution is another few months away, imaginary deadlines can sacrifice value in exchange for the illusion of speed.

此外，事情變得困難時，領導者通常會對異議的容忍度較低，更加以自我為中心。所以當別人反對一個想法或建議時，很快就會被詮釋為抗拒和阻礙，而不是反思或建設性的反饋。這種行為模式遲早會導致領導者脫離團隊，并在想法上產(chǎn)生“虛假共識”的感覺。雖然這可能會讓決策更快，但也會阻礙獨立思考和更好的解決方案的出現(xiàn)。

Add to this the fact that leaders often exhibit less tolerance for dissent when things get difficult. They tend to become more ego-centric, so when others object to an idea or proposal, it’s quickly interpreted as resistance and obstruction, not as reflection or constructive feedback. Sooner or later, this pattern of behavior will lead to disengagement from the team and a sense of “false consensus” on ideas. While this might result in faster decisions, it can also hamper independent thinking and prevent better solutions from coming to the fore.

一個平衡的方法是在想法、決定和行動之間刻意拖延?？梢园阉醋魇窃O計好的控制沖動：創(chuàng)建結構和流程，從而允許其他人，如董事會、外部顧問、同行或好同事間審查并質(zhì)疑你的計劃。我們沒有時間和耐心去處理沒完沒了的官僚主義，所以要把這些流程設計得快速又非正式。有時可以是一個簡短的電話，說清楚你想做什么，并測試你信任之人的即時反應。

A balanced approach is to create a deliberate delay between ideas, decisions, and actions. Think of it as impulse control by design: Create structures and processes where you allow others (the board, external advisors, peers, or good colleagues) to vet and question your plans. You don’t have time or patience for endless bureaucracy, so design these processes to be fast and informal. Sometimes they can be as short as a quick phone call where you spell out what you want to do and test the immediate reaction of someone you trust.

分配任務時考慮人際關系

Increasing Workloads Without Sacrificing Relationships

對經(jīng)濟衰退的第三種典型反應是領導者變得更加以任務為導向，而不那么在意人際關系。正如前文那位沮喪的高管，許多領導者會要求團隊承擔更大的工作量。待辦事項的清單越來越長，因為“更多”似乎更好，“更多”讓人感覺是負責任的領導。你可能還聽過這種說法：“我們現(xiàn)在需要解決問題，而不是寬以待人?！苯Y果遠程工作被取消，人才項目被擱置，福利削減，禮貌和同理心被拋之腦后。

The third typical response to economic downturns is that leaders become more task-oriented and less mindful of relationships. Just like the frustrated executive earlier in this article, many leaders will ask their teams to take on a bigger workload. To-do list gets longer and longer because “more” feels better and “more” feels like responsible leadership. You might also hear versions of the statement, “We need to fix problems now, not coddle people.” As a result, off-sites are canceled, talent programs are put on hold, perks are cut, and courteousness and empathy go down the drain.

然而，經(jīng)營關系并不是縱容，而是真正的績效管理。我們從新冠疫情的后果中了解到，優(yōu)秀的人很少會因為工作變難或時代變得更加艱難而辭職或消極怠工。他們辭職是因為他們對領導、同事或公司的未來失去了信心。他們辭職是因為他們覺得受到了不公平的對待或忽視。是的，人們工作是為了完成使命和任務，但最重要的是，工作是因為他們覺得自己與同事之間有聯(lián)系和歸屬感。所以繼續(xù)投資塑造關系吧?？梢越导壣莩薜母＠?，但仍然要花時間投資塑造關系。在三星級的環(huán)境下追求五星級的內(nèi)容、影響和互動，也未嘗不可。

However, relationship work is not coddling; it is hard-core performance management. We have learned from the aftermath of the pandemic that good people rarely quit or “quiet quit” because their job becomes more difficult or because times turn harder. They quit because they lose faith in their leaders, their colleagues, or the future of the company. They withdraw because they feel unfairly treated or neglected. Yes, people go to work to complete the mission and finish their tasks, but more than anything they go to work because of the connection and community they feel they have with their colleagues. So, continue to invest in relationship-building. Maybe downgrade on the luxury, but still spend the time investing in creating connections. Go for five-star content, impact, and interaction, but in a three-star setting.

其中部分做法包括保持人際關系和任務優(yōu)先級的平衡。對團隊保持透明，說明在困難時期，你希望看到什么性質(zhì)和質(zhì)量的工作關系？你期待互相給予什么樣的挑戰(zhàn)和支持？什么樣的關系即便可以帶來短期結果，也是你不愿意作出妥協(xié)的？最后，如果你發(fā)現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟長期處于低迷狀態(tài)，那就和團隊共退一步，重新定義什么是成功——不僅僅是工作任務本身的成功。

Part of doing this involves maintaining a balanced approach around relationship and task priorities. Be transparent with your team: What’s the nature and quality of work relationships you expect to see during a tough period? What kind of challenges and supports do you expect of each other? What kind of relationship compromises are you?not?willing to make, even if they would deliver short-term results? Ultimately, if you find yourself in an extended downturn, take a step back with the team and redefine what success looks like – and not only for the work tasks themselves.

在糟糕的經(jīng)濟環(huán)境下做個好的領導者一直是個挑戰(zhàn)，這次更是如此，因為糟糕經(jīng)濟通常造成的負擔，可能會因疫情對情緒的破壞而加劇。這意味著，領導者在使用標準的危機應對方法時必須謹慎而節(jié)制。

Being a good leader in a bad economy has always been challenging. This time around is even more so because the usual burden of a bad economy may be compounded by the emotional disruptions of the pandemic. This means that leaders must turn the pages of the standard crisis playbook with care and moderation.

面對經(jīng)濟低迷，領導者不能原地踏步，而是將自身的行動傾向和本能反應利用起來，即拉近關系、更快行動、調(diào)整工作量。如果這些自然有效的領導力行動沒有以平衡的方式進行，領導者實際上可能會放大危機。

Leaders cannot stand still in the face of an economic downturn, but their bias for action and their instinctive responses — moving closer, moving faster, and increasing workload — must be harnessed. If these natural and legitimate leadership moves are not made in a balanced way, leaders may actually amplify the crisis.

梅雷特·韋德爾·韋德爾斯伯格（Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg）｜文

梅雷特·韋德爾·韋德爾斯伯格是一名商業(yè)心理學醫(yī)生，她的客戶來自金融、制藥、國防部門，以及家族辦公室。梅雷特擁有哥本哈根商學院商業(yè)經(jīng)濟學博士學位，和哥本哈根大學心理學碩士學位(臨床心理學)。她是《戰(zhàn)斗思維：如何在混亂中領航并在壓力下行動》(Battle Mind: How to Navigate in Chaos and Perform Under Pressure)一書的作者。

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