How Do You Want Your Leadership In Crisis To Be Remembered?
There’s nothing like a crisis to shine the spotlight on the true leader in someone. Leadership qualities, both good and bad, are magnified. So, here’s a question, what do you want people to remember about your leadership in crisis?
When the story of Covid-19 is finally told, weeks and months from now, there will be many leadership tales of both successes and failures. Which side of that will you fall on? A leader’s job is always to ensure that the needs of today are managed well, while instilling confidence that the needs and opportunities of tomorrow remain promising. That doesn’t change in crisis, it just becomes exponentially amplified.
In our experience, having observed and learned from great leaders, and led teams ourselves through turbulent times here are five critical characteristics of effective leaders in crisis.
- Put people first. Great leaders are tuned in to people, all people – employees, customers, partners, their communities. They project compassion and a deep understanding of how people and their families are impacted, and it’s evident in how they do things. When they must make tough people decisions, they act empathically and manifest assurance in a way that says, “I see you.” They’re also quick to appropriately identify the silver linings and to celebrate even the small wins, recognizing how critical this can be for the human spirit to stay motivated.
- Lead from the front. Effective crisis leaders face uncertainty with confidence and poise. It’s a “we got this” character that, in turn, instills confidence in others. If sacrifices have to be made, they’re the first to do so. Look at what Disney’s Bob Iger did recently forgoing his own salary. They also work swiftly and boldly, never hesitating to make big decisions, even when they don’t have all the facts. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver did just that early on when he made the decision to shut the basketball season down after just one player tested positive.
- Value communication. The best leaders in crisis understand the power of effective communication. They communicate proactively with consistency, honesty and clarity; demonstrating just the right temperament, depth of character and sense of humanity. They also listen – openly and attentively. Not only do people feel seen, they also feel heard.
- Solve problems. This is as much about the ability to see and accept reality, focus and prioritize, as it is finding the answers. In turbulence, those leaders that are successful can see through the chaos, identify the critical few issues and forge a clear path forward. They also make the problem-solving circle broader, not tighter, which is often the tendency in times of crisis. They recognize their own shortcomings and surround themselves with the right people with the right expertise. Those with contrarian opinions are especially welcome.
- Seize opportunities. Where there’s tumult, there’s opportunity. And it comes in all shapes and sizes. Great leaders are able to step back and see clearly where the opportunities are. It could be as simple as a long overdue improvement in how something gets done. There’s nothing like a crisis to lend clarity to what’s essential and what’s not. Or, it could be a significant innovation to the business model with a small window to jump through in order to gain traction. Opportunities abound if you’re open to seeing them and great crisis leaders are. This 360 vision and deep sense of the possibilities greatly contributes to their success over the long term.
This brings to mind a famous Maya Angelou quote that we often use. We’ve taken a bit of creative license here, “In crisis, when a leader shows you who they really are, believe them.” So, We’ll ask you again, in this moment, when the world has been turned upside down, economic systems are stretched and human lives are greatly impacted, yet you must step up and lead … what do you want people to remember about your leadership? Now more than ever, all leadership matters and it will be remembered.
