Decision Design
In the latest Built by People Leaders episode, I talk with Joanna Flórez Restrepo, Latam Chief People Officer at CryoHoldco Biotech. In the middle of a digital transformation, her company was hit by a cyberattack. The money for salaries was there, but the payroll system was down, and 5,000 employees were waiting to be paid.
Three things help a People leader stay steady in a crisis.
Know your triggers before the crisis starts. Write down what throws you off balance, what you fear, and where you’re strongest. Do it while things are calm, so you already know it when the pressure comes. As she puts it: “Know what triggers you, what your fears are, what your strong things are.”
Build support inside and outside the company. Inside, find one or two people who know the context, so you don’t have to explain who is who. Be careful with sensitive information. Outside, find someone with no stake in the outcome who can tell you “you’re exaggerating.” The inside person saves you time, and the outside person helps you see what you’re missing.
Open door 1 first. Every day, pick the one priority that gets you closest to the result and protect it. “It’s so easy to open door 10 instead of door 1. And door 1 is door 1 because it’s gonna get us closer to the results faster.” Do the same for your team’s energy: make sure people sleep, eat proper meals, and spend time with family, even when high performers want to keep going. Her team even removed sugary snacks because everyone’s cortisol was already high.
