I had the privilege of speaking with Joyel Crawford, CEO of Crawford Leadership Strategies, about a topic that often gets overlooked but is extraordinarily important: handling grief in the workplace. Drawing from personal experiences and professional expertise, we delved into the challenges and strategies for managers to support their teams during loss and emotional distress.
Here are a few key takeaways from our conversation:
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
Effective leadership, particularly in times of grief, hinges on possessing and practicing strong people skills, including empathy and emotional intelligence. These qualities are not usually taught in management and traditional business programs but are essential for successfully leading a team.
Training is Crucial
Managers need proper training to navigate emotionally charged conversations, especially those stemming from personal or community tragedies like workplace violence or loss. Lack of training often leads to silence. When people don’t know what to say, they often say nothing, which can cause employees to feel uncared for and further compounding their grief.
Respect Boundaries
While empathy is essential, it’s also important to respect personal boundaries. Some individuals may not want to discuss their grief at work, and it’s important to give them the space to decide how much to share.
Be Flexible and Understanding
Grief can make it difficult for employees to focus, meet deadlines, or perform at their usual level. Offering flexible work arrangements, extended leave, or even adjusting expectations can be a practical way to show support. This flexibility helps employees to cope with their grief without the added stress of worrying about work commitments.
Tune in to the full podcast episode: Handling Grief in the Workplace
Something to think about . . .
As an employee, what do you wish your manager would do to demonstrate support during difficult times?
As a manager or leader, what one action can you take to tend to a grieving team member?
Something to do . . .
Find out if your HR team has training to teach managers how to support grieving employees.
Want to learn more about how we can help your managers enhance their emotional intelligence and support teams through grief and crisis? Reply to this email to learn more
