Be prepared

A bit of prior research can help you to find synergies, build relationships and gain the leading edge.

Hone your cultural awareness and understanding

It helps break down barriers and achieve results more quickly.

Consider whether working with the system would be more effective than trying to fight it

It may seem like a backward step, but it can often help you to move forward.

Be alert to the early signs of stress among employees

Lack of interest in personal hygiene or appearance, for example, can be an early indicator of someone who is under pressure and struggling to cope.

Invest in communicating with and involving your team

This will help you to build employee engagement, which is critical to keeping people onside during times of difficulty.

Give people scope to experiment with new ideas

Allow them to learn from their mistakes.

Make sure you are drawing on the diversity within your team

It will give you a new perspective and help you come up with novel solutions.

Combine formal training with hands-on experience and mentoring

This will help to bring people on quickly and get them delivering the results.

To read more about management of conflict and disaster areas, read our feature here