President Zelensky as a role model for every leader
Being a leader is hard enough even during good times. But when the crisis hits, how can one successfully lead others?
The war against Ukraine, started by russia in February 2022provides an interesting perspective on how leaders of the two nations - vladimir putin and Volodymyr Zelensky - communicate with their people during all that's happening.
While putin builds a wall of lies, hides in the bunker, and films his “public” appearance using a green screen, President Zelensky shows a master class of leadership winning the whole world's hearts.
So let’s analyze what the Leader of Ukraine does and how each of us can apply his techniques to become a better leader.
1?? Sincerity and transparency are important as ever
As we look at President Zelensky's speeches, we’ll notice that he doesn’t hide the fact that the war is going on and that it’s a brutal fight. He talks sincerely about the current situation and what he and his team are doing to solve it.
When something goes wrong, there is an urge to sugarcoat and make the facts sound better than they actually are.
When people refuse to admit that an unpleasant event has occurred, this means that they turn on such a protective mechanism as denial.
It’s natural, but it does not help lead others. So you as a leader should overcome that instinct and be genuine.
Speedy communication is equally important when it comes to preventing the spread of misinformation that could exacerbate a crisis.
People aren't clueless nowadays and honestly, they've never been. When the situation is dire people understand and feel it. Rumors are going viral and fast spreading the sentiments.
And when the leader’s words don’t reflect the current situation people start questioning, doubting, and as a result - stop trusting, which is a catastrophe.
2?? Besides sounding authentic you also need to look authentic
When the President of Ukraine records his videos we often see him in a minimalistic room with an olive drab T-shirt or camo on a five-o'clock shadow.
He could have recorded his speeches in a tuxedo within a palace somewhere safe, but he stayed in Kyiv, currently one of the most dangerous places in Ukraine, and even managed to record videos outside.
The best example of a recent non-authentic look is President Macron. French leader, who is seldom seen wearing anything other than an immaculate fitted suit, coiffed hair, and a clean shave, showed up in élysée Palace in a hoodie cosplaying President Zelensky and got lots of critiques on piggybacking off Zelensky's popularity and trying to appear more relatable.
3?? Be confident even if you’re not
No one can predict the future. And life teaches us that lesson every day.??
The fear of uncertainty is natural and panic is the consequence of the fear.
But how, as a leader, can you ensure that your people don’t fall into a panic?
People subconsciously or intentionally are trying to mimic the authority they trust. By being authentic we gained the trust of the people, so let’s leverage that trust and prevent fear from crawling into people’s minds.
President Zelensky is one of a few people who know what’s going on on the battlefield, he gets constant updates from both Ukrainian and international intel, but even with that amount of information, he doesn’t know with precise detail what сan happen tomorrow.
Considering that thousands and even millions of people’s lives are on the line to say that the current situation is stressful and fearsome for President Zelensky is to say nothing.
But he doesn't show up in public with fear and panic in his eyes.? He knows the role he needs to play. He looks directly into the camera with pure confidence, he talks calmly and clearly, indicating that everything is under control.
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As all great leaders do, Mr. Zelensky has been defining reality while offering hope. And the hope he’s offering is not pie in the sky verbiage, it’s the hope that emerges when people grab hold of their agency and fight for their values.
What can we take for ourselves from this point?
If you are afraid or panicking, try fighting these feelings before talking to your team. There are various physical and psychological exercises out there. Choose a few ones that work for you and lead the way.
Eventually, your “fake” confidence may evolve into a “real” one.
4?? Become a master of communication
During crises, you may naturally want to isolate yourself or avoid “bothering” other people. But if you want to become a leader, these are not the options for you.
President Zelensky holds press conferences and releases videos every day. He talks about what’s happening and what he’s doing to solve the emerging problems. Therefore everyone knows what their leader is up to and understands that the president doesn’t just hide in the bunker but works hard to stop the war.
You probably saw this boss-vs-leader image before. It’s a popular image that resonates with many people, companies, and organizations.
But humans don’t build pyramids anymore; we don’t even work in shared environments that much. So even if, as the leader, you work hard to solve the crisis people won’t be able to ensure that. And if humans don’t see something they might assume it’s not happening.
Therefore, by extensively communicating with the team, you’ll be able to show that they’re not left by themselves during hard times. You don’t need to hold an all-hands every day, even just a small Slack message can make a difference.
5?? Forget about pessimism; try bounded optimism instead
Alright, we start to communicate with our team every day, we’re authentic and confident, but what words do we spread? And, more importantly, what do we sound like?
Can you imagine a leader holding a press conference and portraying everything negatively and depressing? Even if that leader is confident and authentic, he will immediately spread chaos and lose people's loyalty.
It’s not only too late to be a pessimist but also a realist. Just saying the facts won’t do anything. People who are in a crisis are suffering, mentally and/or physically, and one thing that can help them is the belief that at the end of it everything will be much better than before and their hardship has a sense.
That’s why not only the current Ukrainian President but all country leaders around the world in their speeches may seem to be over-optimistic, but their emotions, passion, and hope really matter for keeping their leadership.
6?? Give your battle roar
You may think of this one as childish and foolish, but hey, battle cries have been with us since the beginning of humanity and are showing their effectiveness over and over again not only during wartime but also in sport, media, and protests.
Ukrainian President Zelensky always ends his speeches by saying “Glory to Ukraine”, other Ukrainian politicians say “Everything will be Ukraine” and there are also some people who prefer saying “Russian warship go **** yourself.”
You don’t need to spend days coming up with the battle cry, you can listen to your team, adapt suitable words from somewhere else or just say “Go Company Name”.
There is something ancient and instinctive about shouting a battle cry with a group of people, that immediately gives an influx of power and confidence.
Although the war hasn’t ended yet President Zelensky has already proved himself as one of the best leaders in the 21st century. There is more to the Ukrainian leader’s success than the points above and we’ll definitely have to study his crisis communication in more detail later.
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