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What to Say When War Breaks Out

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WHAT TO SAY WHEN WAR BREAKS OUT

Leaders are struggling to find the right words this week.  


Home
 1. Insights
 2. This Week In Leadership

FOR MORE EXPERT INSIGHTS

John Ashburn

Senior Manager, Assessment Services

David Vied

Global Sector Leader,
Medical Devices and Diagnostics

James Bywater

Senior Client Partner, EMEA

Dennis Deans

Global Human Resources Business Partner

As yet another deeply concerning war breaks out, many employees are once again
distracted and upset: clicking on news sites during the workday, texting
friends, and worrying about loved ones. Should such a highly charged topic be
addressed in the workplace?

Experts agree that leaders need to recognize how stressed and distracted many
workers are, especially after the upheaval of the last few years. “If leaders
don’t address this they risk employee disengagement”—which is correlated with
underperformance, turnover, and reputational brand damage, says John Ashburn,
senior manager for assessment services at Korn Ferry,

This latest outbreak of war, in the Middle East, comes on the tail of the
ongoing battle in Ukraine, political strains in the US, and the pandemic.
Employee engagement, at only 32%, is already at its lowest point since 2005,
according to Gallup data. “Employees aren’t sure leadership cares about them,”
says Ashburn, who notes that younger employees can find this particularly
problematic.

The question is what, exactly, to say. Experts point out that companies rarely
provide management training for such situations. “It’s important for firms to be
empathetic to and protective of their people, without delving into any of the
dialogue,” says David Vied, global sector leader for medical devices and
diagnostics at Korn Ferry. 

Psychologists say that leaders can’t go wrong if they show empathy, avoid taking
sides, and facilitate donations to or corporate philanthropy for a neutral
charity that is supporting a variety of victims, such as a children’s or medical
charity. That last step is key, says business psychologist James Bywater, senior
client partner at Korn Ferry: “It gives a positive focus.”

Good leadership around a war creates an environment in which teammates feel
supported physically, mentally, and emotionally, says Dennis Deans, vice
president of global human resources at Korn Ferry. “Folks just want to know that
there are empathetic leaders who are supporting them as they work.”

 

Learn more about Korn Ferry’s Leadership Consulting capabilities.

Read more This Week in Leadership articles

RELATED ARTICLES

 * This Week in Leadership (Oct 9 - Oct 15)
 * Offering Rewards… to Go Back to the Office


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RECENT ARTICLES

 * Weekly Summary
   
   THIS WEEK IN LEADERSHIP (OCT 9 - OCT 15)
   
   Why are employees losing confidence in their employers? Plus, what leaders
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    * Read more

 * This Week in Leadership
   
   OFFERING REWARDS… TO GO BACK TO THE OFFICE
   
   Fully 90% of CEOs in one survey now say they’ll give promotions and higher
   pay to get people back in the office. Why the shift in tactics?
   
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 * This Week in Leadership
   
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    * Read more

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   In a surprising twist, nearly one-third of employees who get a promotion quit
   within the next month.
   
    * Read more


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