COVID-19 has showcased how quickly things can change for organizations. During these times, it is becoming more important than ever to showcase your leadership skills. Your team will be turning to you during these times and if you fail to be a true leader, your team may feel disengaged, which can hurt company culture.

To boost morale and keep your team motivated, you’ll need to know how to be a good leader during times of disruption. Here are 4 tips that can help you navigate these uncertain times:

Acknowledge that this is an uncertain time

To lay the groundwork, you will need to address the elephant in the room and acknowledge these changing times. You may be inclined to paint a picture of success to your team as encouragement. However, avoiding the issue everyone is thinking about will only cause more anxiety for your team. During your team meetings, acknowledge that times are much different. This can help build trust and camaraderie during these times within your organization.

Provide transparency for your team

As things rapidly change within your organization, it’s important to be transparent with your team. Keep your team in the loop of any pertinent information you can share. Without this information, your team will be left to wonder what will happen, which can make them distracted. Even if you do not have a lot of information on certain situations, communicating that to your team can be beneficial and ease any anxieties your team may have. If you can, provide a weekly meeting to share updates and important information for your team.

Remember to boost morale during this time

Great leaders find ways to invest in building up workplace morale during these times. Not only will this motivate employees, it helps workers feel appreciated during these sensitive times. Try to boost morale through virtual team building activities such as coffee breaks or lunch and learns. This will help your team feel connected while boosting morale.

Have open communication with your team

It is not only important to provide insight for your team. You’ll also need to create an open line of communication with your team and listen to their needs. How will you be able to ensure trust if you do not know how your team is feeling? A great way to ensure open communication is through regular check-ins with team members. Ask them how they are doing and if they have any concerns. If your team is too large for individual one on one meetings, allow your team members to submit their questions for you to answer during these larger meetings. This will not only help you understand your team’s mindset but will provide the empathy your team needs to succeed.