How to be a leader in turbulent times?

“Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example.”–Donald McGannon

Challenging times are the litmus test for leaders.

You either rise to the occasion or your insecurities and weaknesses are exposed.

During a crisis, leaders have to balance difficult and competing responsibilities. For example the current situation warrants quick and effective decision making focused on solutions while also communicating care and creating conditions for your people to remain calm. While some leaders are excelling at this, others are aggravating the situation through contradictions and lack of clear communication and crisis management strategy.

This is the time to maintain the tightrope balance – to communicate clearly with facts while taking necessary steps to prioritize health and safety and keep people calm.

This is the time for radical compassion and radical honesty.

I was very impressed with the communication I received from PMI (Project Management Institute) – the email was clear about the why, what, and how PMI is managing the crisis. For example they mentioned “All of our staff are fully equipped to work remotely and we anticipate that this will create minimal disruption for you. We are still ‘open for business’ and you can still reach your PMI contacts through email or by phone.” There was very little room for any guess work and it provided comfort that help is available.

When people don’t have the information they want or need in an evolving crisis, they worry about what they don’t know and what is hidden from them. When leaders don’t communicate honestly, people inevitably fill in the blanks themselves with rumors and fear. This leads to panic and anxiety.

A far more effective strategy is to

• Communicate the facts clearly,
• Tell confidently how equipped you are to handle the crisis and
• Show empathy.

I think it is critical during a crisis for leaders to speak truthfully and carefully, and not misrepresent the facts. It leads to loss of trust. People might also feel that their leaders don’t have a grasp of the situation. When you are empathetic, when you explain the why behind the decisions you take and genuinely show care, the most tough decisions are received well. People are less resentful

This is the time for leaders to step into the best version of yourself – “Arete” as the Stoics would say, reach out to people and show genuine care. Be someone who helps pull your people out of “threat state” and help them return to calm and hope while facing the tornado inside you..

As Robin Sharma says, “Heroes Are Made in Hard Times”

This is the time to be the Hero

Whether or not you have a title, you can be that leader. And when you are doing all this don’t forget to take good care of your self.

Warren Bennis, one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership cites Abigail Adams wisdom three times in his book ‘On Becoming a Leader’, signaling just how important it is, “These are the hard times in which a genius should wish to live. . . . Great necessities call forth great leaders.”

The important question is Will YOU be one of them?