Leadership, in times of crisis

Periods of crisis are known to shape future leaders. Will this be true of the crisis the world is currently facing? What are the attributes that will distinguish the leaders on the frontline of this crisis? One line of thought is that the present crisis is a unique one and hence, the leadership response will also need to be markedly different.

Over the years, I have witnessed many crisis situations – at home, at work and within society at large. My experience has taught me that leadership during tough times is about having the courage to take responsibility and be accountable while showing care and compassion to those around.

Teams and people first

From an organisation’s standpoint, there is a need to equip teams with the right tools and strategies to not only maximise success, but to also enable the organisation to emerge from the crisis as one that has acted responsibly. In a world that is increasingly getting disrupted, giving teams the confidence to continue to experiment and innovate in times of crisis is critical. Organisations will survive by doing more of what they do well and in a crisis, this should be the near-term focus. However, at the same time, a continued focus on innovation would enable organisations to thrive. While innovation may be paused owing to the need for cash conservation, it should not be stopped.

Another key aspect is communication – maximising employee involvement through spirited interactions and communication can enable leaders to boost their workforce’s morale. At the same time, it is critical, particularly from the people’s perspective, that the conversation occurs from the heart – an open and spontaneous conversation is much better than a scripted, if well-delivered, one.

Client connect

As the COVID-19 crisis evolves, one thing has become clear: the dynamic nature of our world. Both challenges and the responses to them are rapidly changing. In such a situation, it is important for leaders to have their feet firmly on the ground. Direct and constant interactions with clients are irreplaceable. Clients are faced with the same challenges and they too need to navigate the near term in order to enable growth in the medium to long term. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work and putting yourself in your client’s shoes’ will become more important than ever before.

Stay away from speculative information sources

Whether it is social media or the news, there is plenty of unverified information being circulated. It is critical that leaders stick to facts, laws and government guidelines. At the same time, they must stay abreast of the changing dynamics of public policy, government regulations and guidelines. 

Turning a predicament into an opportunity

Another aspect which becomes even more relevant in situations of crisis is how one transforms a problem that is complex and destabilising into a gainful opportunity for future business. When business engagement models start to crumble during a crisis, newer and better models should be developed, analysed, and adopted. The USA and USSR became the two strongest economies after World War II primarily because their industries ramped up defence production, while the rest of the world jacked up its defence budgets and purchased from them!

In a crisis situation, the leader will have to be attuned to the implications of both current and future needs and plan for them. Flexibility and the ability to adjust to changing situations are important too – sometimes many different scenarios may be possible, and it would be necessary to plan for all of them. If this is not done and a new scenario occurs, one could be left engaging in ad-hoc crisis management which may result in loss of a huge opportunity.

To conclude, leaders may not be able to predict the exact timing of a crisis, but they can minimise its impact, emerging not just victorious but also much stronger than before! To my mind, there is no precise rule book for leadership, especially during an unpredictable crisis, like the one we are facing today. If we fail to reinvent and adapt, our organisations will fail to cope with new challenges. A crisis of this nature demands that leaders be open to redefining the very essence of leadership. And who knows, some of the unconventional decisions taken by today’s leaders may become standard practices for leaders of the future!