How to Lead with Compassion in Crisis

I’m Alexandre Ribas, TTI Success Insights’ Master Distributor in Brazil, and I’ve been leading the global network in terms of report usage during the last few months. I truly believe that we should be doing everything we can right now to support our clients through this crisis, and that means leading with empathy and compassion.

Here are 4 steps I’ve implemented both in my own business plan and leadership style to emphasize a ‘matching’ mindset, and I’ll share with you what I’ve seen in my business as a result.

Use Your Resources

Profits are not going to be high right now, because people are afraid to spend their money. With so much uncertainty and instability, this makes sense. In an industry like ours that focuses on human potential and personal development, you need to show that you understand the struggles of all organizations right now, whether it’s a small family business or a national team.

Focus on what you can give, not just what you can get. I’ve been giving away free reports and consultations with current and potential clients. They’re incredibly grateful for the help, and we get to expand our network (more on that later!).

By utilizing complimentary reports, my team has been able to make connections without a significant financial investment. When TTI Success Insights released the Working from Home Report for free, myself and the other TTI SI Master Distributors were able to see first hand what that altruistic action did for trust in the company and for larger brand recognition.

Invest in Your Future Reputation

The way that leaders and companies handle the current crisis will lay the groundwork for the future. People need help, and they’ll remember how you treat them. Our sales are actually growing right now in Brasil. This isn’t a result of free reports, but rather the increased awareness and appreciation of TTI Success Insights Brasil.

It is anywhere from 5 to 25 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to keep a current one, according to the Harvard Business Review. This makes sense; your messaging, products, and services have already resonated with your current customers. They’ve already made an emotional connection with you, that makes it easier for them to buy in the future.

Take care of these customers! By giving freely and with good intentions, you will lay the foundation to be an authority in the future, in both hard times and good times.

Put People First, Period

Difficult times are your opportunity to become a giver with a purpose. You can’t just focus on what you’ll get back from your clients and connections.

Start this mindset within your own team. We’ve decided not to use personal data from this campaign, and we’re releasing resources and helpful materials without collecting information to use in later marketing campaigns. The idea behind this is to create trust and an environment that is so helpful and instructive that customers come back of their own accord.

Personally, I’m not measuring success for my sales team by numbers. In the past, we’ve had daily meetings to share conversions and data from their work, but that isn’t a realistic expectation right now when you factor in the state of things.

As a result, I’m measuring the success of my sales team not by profit but by the conversations they’re having. Are they empathetic and helpful? Are they truly listening and responding to the needs of the customer? If they are, we’re succeeding. We’re not setting sales goals in an extremely difficult financial time; we’re planting seeds for the future. And it’s working.

Shift Your Mindset

Any results that are not win-win will one day bring losses to you. Our attitude shows that we care about our clients. Truly caring about our clients builds our image and brand awareness, and boosts our reputation in the market.

This idea might be challenging. I know many members of our network are dominant, pioneering, and fast paced. The idea of shifting focus to people and not profit might be scary right now, especially in such an unsure time. I’m here to tell you that it’s more important now than ever. If you’re having a difficult time framing your thoughts around the matter, we can break it down further into three types, as defined by author Adam Grant:

The Givers

Givers are altruistic and seek to help others. They take pleasure in the success and development of others, which can mean they frequently don’t put themselves first. Their careers can suffer, as a result.

The Takers

Takers focus on their own agendas and interests, and are ambitious, driven to lead, and strategic. Their focus on their own success and development can lead to weaker interpersonal connections.

The Matchers

Matchers work to balance their own development with the development of others around them. They seek a ‘win/win’ perspective in all things, and act purposefully and thoughtfully.

In times like these, you need to be a Matcher. Work to fully understand what they give to you, even if that’s just engaging with your content or offering you feedback. If you focus on what you’re going to get back from your clients right now, you’re not going to succeed.

We’ve had a huge influx of positive feedback from our Value Added Associates and from our clients. They see what we’re doing and how their own businesses can succeed because of it. That’s a huge win for us.

Look Forward With Compassion

True colors really are revealed in difficult situations. I’m proud to say my team and our network are revealing that they are empathetic, understanding, and adaptive. I advise that you start thinking about what you can give your clients, not what you can get from them. By becoming a trustworthy advisor to your clients, they can become your clients for life.

If you have questions, I’d love to connect with you and tell you more about our strategy and success. Contact my team here to learn more.