Helping your team thrive through crisis

May 5, 2020

Kanina Blanchard, a globally-recognized crisis management expert and lecturer at the Ivey Business School, shares her advice on leading through a crisis and talks about how having a plan, staying connected and communicating effectively brings out employees’ best in difficult times.

In this episode, Kanina Blanchard discusses:

  • Her one big message for leaders during Covid-19 (01:31)
  • Why it’s important to create a game plan for surviving a crisis (02:56)
  • Why you should think about how your actions will be judged in the long term (03:22)
  • The three C’s to keep in mind in a crisis (04:16)
  • What great crisis planning looks like (05:38)
  • What professional athletes teach us about preparing for a crisis (06:16)
  • The importance of including diverse perspectives in crisis planning (07:12)
  • Why it’s never too late to address a crisis (09:07)
  • What leaders can be doing right now to deal with he impact of Covid-19 (09:53)
  • The one aspect of culture she’d like to see leaders focus on right now (15:05)
  • How to build collaboration and connection virtually (16:33)
  • Why you shouldn’t try to be a superhero (18:50)
  • Positive lessons from Covid-19 (21:04)
  • What she does to recharge (23:51)

Kanina’s advice for leaders:

  • Align your game plan with your values (03:06)
  • Listen and show empathy (03:44)
  • Prepare for worst-case scenario (06:55)
  • Let yourself be uncomfortable (08:26)
  • Think about who you (and your company) want to be when the crisis is over (09:30)
  • Communicate in a way that creates trust (11:27)
  • Make sure your actions and words match – and are consistent with your values (12:15)
  • Don’t expect to have all the answers (13:05)
  • Keep your employees’ needs in mind (17:57)
  • Practice self-care (19:38)

More about Kanina Blanchard:

Kanina Blanchard has led teams through crisis on four different continents, and is recognized for her ability to adapt, lead teams and projects, and navigate complexities across various sectors. She has extensive experience working in international business, the public service, non-profit and consulting in areas that include organizational and communication challenges as well as issues, crisis and change management.

Blanchard has coached thousands of CEOs, C-Suite executives and emerging leaders seeking to grow and develop their character, competencies and commitment over the last 30 years.  She is committed to providing targeted and customized strategic solutions to challenges that impact organizational and leadership brand, reputation and bottom line. 

She is a lecturer in management communications and general management at the Ivey Business School, the recipient of the Margaret Haughey Master’s Award for Best Master’s Thesis, and is currently working toward her PhD.

More about TILTCO:

TILTCO is a boutique consulting company that helps leaders define and execute their strategies in order to achieve extraordinary business and personal results. Founded by Tineke Keesmaat who has over 20 years of leadership consulting experience with McKinsey & Company, Accenture and now TILTCO Inc.

More about The Ivey Academy:

The Ivey Academy at Ivey Business School is the home for executive Learning and Development (L&D) in Canada. It is Canada’s only full-service L&D house, blending Financial Times top-ranked university-based executive education with talent assessment, instructional design and strategy, and behaviour change sustainment