Leading in a Sustained Crisis - 5 Tips

(c) Patrick Flesner, 2024

In the last 'Leadership Shots' newsletter, I delved into the reality of our current situation: we're no longer facing a sudden Covid-19 crisis but rather navigating through the complexities of a sustained crisis. Highly effective leaders know how to adjust their leadership styles to the situational context and recognize the distinct phases of sustained crisis leadership: the initial emergency response phase triggered by a certain event like the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent adaptation phase characterized by a prolonged period of constant change, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

This second adaptation phase - that we're currently in - calls for shifts in strategies, behaviors, decision-making processes, values, and ultimately leadership.

Here are 5 tips that may help you lead your teams through a sustained crisis and especially through the second adaption phase:

Communicate openly and transparently

How you handle important decisions and communicate with your team will profoundly shape your organization's path forward. If you embrace honest and transparent communication, you can build trust, maintain cohesion within your team, and create a loyal folliwership. In contrast, if you withhold information or communicate in a vague or misleading manner, you risk eroding trust and creating confusion among your team members. This can lead to decreased morale, increased anxiety, diminished creativity and productivity, as well as high turnover in the leadership team you desperately need to successfully navigate the sustained crisis.

Stay tuned: The article I've written with Nicole Jansen on how to create a culture of honesty and transparency should be published shortly. I will share it with you. If you haven't subscribed to this newsletter yet, why not do it now!?

Be Trustworthy

If you've been following this 'Leadership Shots' newsletter and have had the chance to explore my book 'The Leadership House,' then you're likely familiar with the importance of trust in effective leadership. When your team members trust you, they feel empowered to challenge your perspectives, speak up, and offer assistance when needed. In a crisis scenario, having a team that is willing to voice their opinions and collaborate openly is invaluable.

You can find an infographic of the RESPECT framework for building trust here.

Tap into the Collective Wisdom of your Team

During a sustained crisis, it's essential to acknowledge that you don't have all the answers. You do not have to know the way, show the way, and go the way. Instead, you must lead a team and - jointly with your team - find the way and go the way. Embracing this reality requires you to seek input from all your team members, thereby tapping into the collective wisdom and diverse perspectives within your team. By adopting this kind of collaborative approach to decision-making, you not only generate more innovative solutions but also cultivate stronger bonds between team members. You can facilitate this process by creating an environment where every team member is heard and feels valued and empowered to contribute. Encourage open dialogue, active listening, and the sharing of diverse viewpoints.

Embrace Agility and Encourage Continuous Learning

In a sustained crisis, change is the only constant. Recognize that circumstances are continuously evolving, and strategies that were effective yesterday may not be suitable tomorrow. Embrace agility by pivoting and adjusting course as needed in response to shifting conditions. Instead of viewing deviations from the plan as failures, see them - and encourage your team to see them - as opportunities for growth and learning.

Lead by Example

In times of sustained crisis, your actions speak volumes to your teams and the entire organization. Your team members look to you for guidance and inspiration, observing your every move. Lead by example by being present for your team, rolling up your sleeves, and demonstrating the behaviors you expect from others. Show empathy, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity. By embodying the qualities of adaptive leadership and implementing these 5 tips, you inspire confidence, collaboration, agility, resilience, and accountability.

What to Do this Week:

As you continue to navigate the complexities of our current sustained crisis, why not make use of these 5 tips this week. I hope they will help you become an even better adaptive leader, an adaptive leader who successfully navigates these challenging times.

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Here's to taking another leadership shot.

Patrick Flesner

Leadership and Executive Coaching

Coaching isn't therapy! It is a means you can use to become a more effective, better, and adaptive leader. If you are interested in coaching, please reach out. You can find out more about my coaching here.

ABOUT PATRICK FLESNER

Dr. Patrick Flesner is a leadership and executive coach, a former professional handball player in the 1st German League, a recognised bestselling author of 'FastScaling' and 'The Leadership House', a TEDx and Keynote Speaker, and a renowned expert in the field of leadership. His diverse background, which includes roles as a partner in prestigious German law firms, a leadership position in a publicly traded company, and as a partner in a venture capital fund, has endowed him with a comprehensive and multifaceted perspective on leadership.

If you are interested in leadership coaching or engaging Patrick as a keynote speaker, please connect and send a message. You can also find more information here.

THE LEADERSHIP HOUSE

Praise for The Leadership House

"In this little book, you will find the tools necessary to enhance your leadership journey. Thanks Patrick for giving us such a gift.”

—Howard Behar, former president of Starbucks International

"Great storytelling alongside with the simultaneous communication of facts. In this book, the essentials of leadership are impressively presented in an unusual and memorable setting."

—Gisbert Rühl, former CEO of Kl?ckner & Co SE

"Most leadership books are either too theoretic, esoteric, or complex--or all of the above. The Leadership House stands out. It conveys how to lead effectively, wrapped in an inspiring story full of leadership wisdom and actionable insights. This book is not only fun to read, but makes you learn how to lead with ease. Highly recommended for any leader and all who wish to become one."

—Matthias Heutger, Partner at Porsche Consulting and former Senior Vice President, Global Head of Innovation & Commercial Development at DHL Group

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