Three leadership strategies during the coronavirus

“Unprecedented” is a word we hear a lot today.

There’s nothing normal about what we’re experiencing, and therein lies the question for leaders. With no coronavirus playbook and no precedent, how do we take decisive action and lead?

In the midst of this pandemic, no one can claim to know exactly how to lead their organization, but I’ve relied on a few strategies that have proven valuable to me the past several months. Perhaps you will find them useful, too.

Communicate, communicate, communicate

Early in my career, I learned the importance of telling it all and telling it fast when a crisis arises. It’s a good rule of thumb, but what about when there are more unknowns than knowns, much like today.

Sir Winston Churchill, one of the most eloquent communicators in history, once said, “Short words are best, and old words when short are best of all.”

In large organizations, we often use long words and the latest jargon, but a crisis is no time to be clever or subtle. Any organization’s stakeholders want to hear the leader’s voice and the confidence it conveys. Regular, easily understood, concise and transparent messages are more effective and welcomed by those we serve.

Have the right people around you

We all know that good leaders surround themselves with talented men and women. If we are to lead well, we must have around us bright, creative people who enhance our skills, compensate for our weaknesses and offer diverse perspectives.

“Talent wins games,” Michael Jordan said, “but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

It’s no wonder he is one of the most successful basketball players the game has known.

Operate from shared principles

Most organizations have standard processes and procedures, ones that work for its culture, people and objectives. However, they are often not functional in a crisis, making shared operating principles essential to decision-making. Defining those principles becomes the immediate task.

In his recent book, Leadershift, author and speaker John Maxwell examined what separates management and leadership. “Where management took stability for granted, leadership provides principles in the face of the unknown.”

Stability, at least as we knew it, flew out the window earlier this year. At Auburn, we use three key principles to guide us through this season: first, protect the health and well-being of our campus community; second, continue the mission of the university; and, third, work in partnership with the university’s governance groups.

We won’t get everything right, but operating from these shared principles, we will all be headed in the same direction.