Posted by Beth Payne on Monday, January 4th
2016
Most people who work
for the State Department will find themselves in a crisis at one time or
another. Most of the time the crisis will be unpredictable. Whether you find
yourself in a city during a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or civil
unrest, it is very important that you and your team maintain your resilience so
that you can respond to the crisis effectively and achieve U.S. foreign policy
goals.
Here are some tips on
how you can foster resilience during a crisis:
§ Focus on people first: The highest priority in a crisis is the safety
and security of the team. Take the time to ensure that everyone has what they
need to feel secure. Let people leave if they need to.
§ Ask for help: One of the best ways to maintain resilience
during a crisis is to ask for help and resist the temptation to prove how
capable you are by going it alone. Many Department bureaus can send TDY support
if requested and are happy to walk you through best practices and lessons
learned. Be proactive early on and get the help you need.
§ Create work schedules and rest breaks: While a crisis often requires 24/7 work
coverage, that doesn’t mean people should work non-stop. Develop
clear work schedules that incorporate time for rest breaks, meals and
relaxation. Make people who are not scheduled to work go home. Some people like
to stay where the action is, but they can be distracting and will then be over
tired when it’s their turn to work. Leaders should designate deputies so they
can also take time to eat, sleep, and relax.
§ Communicate extensively: Effective communication is critical in a
crisis and err on the side of over communicating.
§ Manage Washington: In a crisis, senior officials in Washington
crave information and details. Channel communications through a central point
of contract or location so that employees aren’t distracted by constant
requests from Washington. Everyone should regularly feed information to the
designated Washington point of contact so officials are satisfied. Don’t allow
a vacuum to develop.
- Eat and drink: Provide fluids and healthy food and the time to
eat. Minimize caffeine and sugar since these only provide a temporary
boost followed by a significant drop in energy. If you want to have snack
foods, bring in fruit and nuts instead of candy and chips. Avoid alcohol
during the crisis. Alcohol will mask, but not reduce stress, and can have
a negative impact on the body in times of stress.
- Have fun: Even though you find yourself in a life or death
crisis, there is still room to have fun and laugh – find it. However, be
sure your humor is culturally sensitive.
What helps you stay
resilient during a crisis?
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