Around 10 years ago, I led a small sales team during a massive Q3 collapse — stakeholders pulling out, revenue down 40%, and whispers of layoffs spreading like wildfire.
The office was dead quiet – except for the rumor mill working overtime.
In times like that is when you truly see what leadership means. It’s not about the wins. It’s about what you do when everything’s falling apart and people are looking at you for answers you don’t have.
Feels impossible? That’s the job.
You don’t get to choose what mess you walk into.
But you always choose how you walk through it.
If you’re a manager navigating a storm right now (or know one is coming) this is your playbook. Real leadership begins with leading yourself – how you show up to high-stakes moments is what defines who you are in your position. Once you master that, you’ll be able to help your team navigate through troubled seas as well.
My name is Vasil Kostov, and I’ve been in corporate management for more than 15 years. Celebrating the big wins is the easy part. But most of what I’ve learned about leadership -I learned it in the darker times.
During that tough Q3 collapse, some managers on my level were in full “we’ll be fine by next month” mode – telling their teams not to worry and keeping things overly cheerful. But every week that passed with no recovery just made their teams more anxious. Some gave up completely. They stopped showing up, and morale tanked.
So I knew the overly optimistic approach wasn’t doing the trick.
Other managers were just as demotivated as their teammates – dreadful faces, snarky comments, openly talking about sending out CVs.
The only thing they were leading was the negativity narrative.
So I knew I needed to do something different.
I gathered my team and told them the truth:
“Yes – we’re in a bad spot. This quarter will be brutal. But we’re not folding. We’re going to shift gears, test new strategies, talk to every client we’ve got, and tighten up our pipeline. And we’re going to do it together.”
Every week, we reviewed numbers. We celebrated micro-wins.
I kept showing up, and so did they.
I kept reinstating the plan and that kept us moving.
And slowly – we turned it around.
I didn’t promise miracles.
But I made it clear: only we can get ourselves out.
Eyes open. Sleeves rolled up.
Sure -I was nervous too. I had no idea how things would play out. Heck, I could’ve been the one laid off any moment.
But as a leader, my job was to face reality – and keep hope alive by taking meaningful action.
With a clear vision and small, confident steps forward, I led myself – and my team – to better days.
Leadership isn’t proven in celebration — it’s forged in collapse.
Crisis Leadership Practices
Most of these should already be part of your leadership toolkit before the storm hits.
You build trust in calm waters, so when the waves come, your team already knows they can count on you.
Here’s how to stay on top of things when the numbers sink:
1. Tell the Truth – Then Lead Through It
Don’t sugarcoat. Your team isn’t dumb. If they need to know that business is bleeding, say so – clearly and calmly.
“We’re in a tough phase. The next quarter will be rough. But we’re not folding – we’re just shifting gears.”
Optimism without realism creates distrust.
Clarity, followed by real action, builds loyalty.
2. Spark the Culture Flame Again
In calm times, culture is good. In crisis, it’s everything.
It’s how your team talks when management isn’t listening.
It’s whether they say “Why bother?” or “We’ll fix this together.”
Bring it back to the real values – and I don’t mean the poster on the wall.
The behavior in the trenches. The language in the break room.
The energy in the Monday morning meeting.
Gather your war cabinet. Lead with unity, humility, and shared purpose.
If you can fight well together during adversity – you’re already winning.
3. Own Past Choices
Maybe your last strategy didn’t work. Maybe it even made things worse.
Own it.
“We made the best call with the information we had. Now we’ve got a better idea. Here’s the plan…”
That’s not weakness. That’s credibility. Your team expects honesty, awareness, and the courage to pivot.
Failing to own it? That’s bad.
Blaming your teammates instead? That’s the end of loyalty.
So choose wisely.
4. Rally the Troops
Your quiet pros. The veterans. The long-game A-players.
They matter more than ever right now. You need to retain them at all cost.
Call them in for a one-on-one. Tell them exactly how important they are.
Give them ownership and let them help set the tone.
“Can I count on you to help me calm the storm in the team?”
That question alone will light a fire in them.
Because now they’re not just employees – they’re part of the mission.
5. Take Action. Small Wins. Repeat.
Crisis kills momentum and your job is to get it back.
Set clear, short-term goals that guarantee micro-wins. Celebrate them – out loud and often.
Because action beats anxiety. And wins beat negativity.
Don’t just motivate — mobilize. Give each person one clear task they can do today to help the business.
Then show up and be with them in the trenches. One foot in front of the other. And small steps will lead to a big turnaround.
You don’t always choose the storm you walk into. But you always choose how you walk through it. So, fellow managers – you’re not in that role because you’re special.
You’re there because you can handle it.
So face the music.
Hit chaos with action. Hit fear with confidence.
That’s leadership.
And that’s your Achieve Blueprint in motion.
