What We're Reading Now

Guidance for Bosses in the Wake of Tragedy

5 July 2016

Allison read Being a Good Boss in Dark Times by Jennifer Porter and was grateful for specific guidance on what to do at work as employees try to process mass tragedies.

Tags: allison read, leadership, management and supervision

If you’ve been successful in your career, it’s likely you’ve been given direct reports, and it’s just as likely that no one has ever explicitly taught you management and supervision skills. Whether it’s in our course, The Art of Being a Great Boss, or in one-on-one coaching, many of my clients need advice on how to develop and guide the people who work for them.

I’m always on the lookout for additional guidance for the leaders I’m trying to support, and I’ll definitely be adding Jennifer Porter’s article, Being a Good Boss in Dark Times, to my must-read list. She gives specific advice on how leaders can help their employees navigate the variety of emotions that “mass shootings, suicide bombers, and assassinations” evoke.

Sometimes it’s tempting to hope that we can have work be impersonal and a space where we can actually escape the pain in the world around us or even in our own lives. While I do think we can help people to have certain boundaries at work, I strongly agree with Porter that we actually need to be able to bravely talk about individual and societal tragedy at work. In her article, you’ll learn how to:

• Bring your emotions to work.
• Be willing to be imperfect.
• Create psychological safety.
• Let horrific behavior fuel your resolve for good behavior.
• Deal with your discomfort and talk about what is important.

As I imagine some of my current and past clients reading this article, I can hear them saying, “But, Allison, what happens when these conversations get out of control or it becomes clear that people aren’t getting their work done or aren’t able to cope in the wake of these tragedies? Won’t I just be opening Pandora’s box?”

My answer is that I believe you can follow Porter’s advice while still managing appropriate boundaries at work. I think you’ll find that many people on your team will self-regulate appropriately. They will appreciate that you allowed for some processing of the emotions, but also will be eager to return to the work at hand because for most of us, our jobs provide a healthy way to put one foot in front of the other.

However, if you find that opening up the dialogue on these issues seems to be taking over, then I think at some point you can say, “I wanted us to have the time and space to talk about these issues and our feelings; however, I’m now beginning to feel like we need to find a way to return to our work.” If someone struggles to do this, then you can have a few more individual conversations. If the employee is still struggling, you can suggest he or she consider taking some time off from work to grieve, and advise them to call your Employee Assistance Program. If you don’t have an EAP program, then you can encourage them to talk with their primary care physician who can help them to continue to process the emotions or refer them to a counselor.

While it’s always hard to navigate these moments, I'll be advising supervisors to courageously try to do what Porter recommends and remember that they don’t have to be perfect. In fact, there’s a vulnerability in our imperfection in these times that can be quite healing. And if you get stuck trying to follow her advice, just give me a call. It would be my honor to help you help your employees.

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