Communicating to Exhausted Teams: What Works When the Stakes Are High
by Jenna Lange
Across the tech industry, in some of the world’s biggest companies, there’s a simmering concern among leaders: how do you communicate with your employees when they are absolutely exhausted? How do you continue to push for results and performance from those who feel like they have no more to give?
Burnout was a hot topic in 2020 and 2021. After the roller coaster of being shut inside, the constant fear of getting sick, and the unpredictable zigzags of the economy – well, most of us were fried. But here we are, entering the final months of 2022, and we’re still tired. Some of us are exhausted from work stress, some of us are exhausted from personal life, and a lot of us are exhausted from both.
The leaders I work with are walking a tightrope. They’re trying to balance doing what’s right for the business and keeping their teams motivated, inspired, and driven to succeed. All the while, they’re constantly recalibrating to meet changing business needs.
Why change and ambiguity lead to fatigue
The root of all this exhaustion? Change and ambiguity.
Here’s the deal: change – even the good kind – can be a lot to process. A recent study from Gartner notes that “employees’ ability to absorb change has plummeted precisely at the time when more organizations need change to reset.”
There’s nothing ‘soft’ about change management – it affects employee motivation, attitude, their daily satisfaction, their perception of their value and impact, and their mental health. The ability to manage change can be an incredible catalyst for your business – or it can be the ultimate destroyer.
What leaders need to know: Connecting with your teams in hard times
Your ability to get your team through times of uncertainty may be the ultimate test of your leadership. This is the most high-stakes and delicate communication of all – and it has nothing to do with hitting key bullet points, practicing a script, or any of the approaches you may normally lean on to prepare for a big communications moment.
Your ability to steer through this storm relies on your ability to recognize your team’s challenges with empathy, vulnerability, and sincerity.
Empathy.
The last few years have demanded empathy from leaders in a way we haven’t seen in recent times. If you’re asking your team to do more; if you’re asking your team to push harder; if you’re asking your team to give it one more shot; if you’re asking your team to shift strategies yet again – whatever it may be – you must come at it with empathy.
Recognize that you’re asking again. Let them know that you, too, see this is challenging. Show them you SEE THEM with what you have noticed. For example, “I see that the energy in the room has shifted, and I believe that’s because we just talked about X.”
Don’t just tell them “it must be hard.” Share specifics: “I realize that this is the fourth org change you have all experienced in the last 6 months.” That specificity goes a long way. It shows your employees that you SEE them. By communicating with empathy, you’re validating their feelings.
Empathy might sound like:
“I noticed that the energy in the room has shifted. How is everyone feeling about the announcement that came out this morning?”
“In the survey results from the team, I read that…let’s talk about that.”
“Feel free to send me questions or agenda items privately; I’ll make sure everything gets addressed.”
Vision.
Helping your team stay grounded in the WHY is one of the more important jobs for a leader. This is where you have to get your team to understand what the payoff will be. What are they working toward, exactly? Is it a better customer experience, is it hitting quarterly numbers, is it a product launch? And, if it goes well? Then what? Paint a picture of success and tell the story about what it looks like.
Us humans are wired to want instant gratification. Longer-term goals – where we don’t see results for months or even longer – require a deeper level of motivation. Ask yourself if there are short-term wins you can help create? Or, do you just need to dig deep to help your team understand that the daily burn – that dedication and consistency – will lead to massive rewards. As a leader, it’s up to you to keep your employees thinking about that big vision and to celebrate the thousand baby steps you’re going to take to achieve it.
Guiding your team to vision might sound like:
“Here’s why this is going to matter to each and every one of you…”
“Thank you for your hard work. This project is critical because together we will be able to…”
“This matters to all of us because…”
Belonging.
There’s only one way through – together. Your team needs a sense of connection not just to the business, but to each other. Research shows that working together as friends and enjoying each other’s company can inspire teams to push harder, focus longer, and stay engaged.
Find creative ways to help your team feel connected to one another - even remotely. This may mean making more time at the beginning or end of calls for structured personal connection. It may be a team building exercise or group coaching experience or just moments for sharing in the chat or on camera. But whatever it is, it must be intentional and sincere.
You can drive togetherness by:
Reflecting on wins, personalizing it, and sharing weekly progress.
Allowing time for intentional small talk for the first five minutes of a call.
Prioritizing the budget for quarterly team building and coaching.
When in doubt, be optimistic
Above all else, show up in the way you want your entire team to show up – ready to work hard, and unwaveringly optimistic. It’s up to you to set the example, even on the most grueling days.
We can learn a thing or two from iconic leaders who have inspired others to endure through hardships like war. Winston Churchill, for example, refused to negotiate, refused a defeatist attitude, and never stopped praising the British people.
The International Churchill Society notes that, “One of Winston Churchill’s chief attributes as a leader was his capability of inspiring people, regardless of seemingly ominous circumstances. The source of this inspiration was his own character. Churchill perpetually demonstrated enthusiasm, determination, and optimism—if not at all times in private, then at least always in public.”
In other words: Smile, your team is watching.