When the world feels unstable – which seems to be happening a lot lately – your team needs you to be a source of stability.
This is easier said than done. According to a recent article in Harvard Business Review, managing spirits during anxious times requires more than a “keep calm and carry on” poster; it requires intentional, human-centric action.
The quickest way to lose a team’s trust is to pretend everything is fine when it clearly isn’t. Anxiety thrives in silence and ambiguity. As a leader, your first task is to name the reality.
Validating your team’s concerns doesn’t make them “weaker”—it creates a foundation of psychological safety that allows them to actually focus on their work instead of their worries.
Anxiety often stems from a lack of agency. To counter this, help your team zoom in on what they can influence.
- Focus on Purpose and Values: Reinforce the things that are not changing. Remind people that they are a part of something important. Role model the values and what you stand for.
- Clarify Short-Term Goals: When the long-term feels murky, break projects down into “wins” for the next 48 hours.
- Establish Routine: Predictability is the antidote to chaos. Maintain your 1-on-1s and team huddles, even if there isn’t a major “update.”
- Set Boundaries: In anxious times, the line between “working from home” and “living at work” can blur. Encourage your staff to truly disconnect.
Model vulnerability, not perfection. You don’t need to be a stoic statue. In fact, if you’re feeling the pressure, say so. When a leader admits, “I’m finding this week a bit challenging too,” it gives the rest of the team permission to be human. This isn’t about dumping your stress on them; it’s about modeling how a professional navigates stress with resilience.
Finally, remember that empathy and productivity are not at odds. Being a “supportive” leader doesn’t mean lowering standards; it means providing the emotional resources your team needs to meet those standards. By prioritizing connection and clarity, you don’t just help your team survive an anxious season – you build a culture that can weather any future storm.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Gulati, R. “How to Keep Your Team’s Spirits Up in Anxious Times,” Harvard Business Review online, September 8, 2025.
