Wartime Leadership and Covid-19

Seventy-year old Bob R, retired after thirty-five-plus years in hospital administration, got a call from the head of the system where he once worked.

“He wants me to help the staff figure out how best to scale up, since they expect a big increase in patients over the coming weeks,” Bob said. “I guess it’s all hands on deck.”

Indeed.

When we talk about the “war” on this global pandemic, we are not using the word as a metaphor. Some of us—medical professionals, government officials, scientists—are already on the front line, marshaling resources, inventing new ways of doing things, reassuring stressed-out workers.

There is a great deal we can learn from actual wartime leadership that can help us weather this crisis.

You are a leader. Leadership is about influence, not position, rank or authority. If you are part of the team, especially if you fill a professional role, you influence others by your actions. Let your values steer your behavior, because others are watching. If you choose not to bust out your, “Keep Calm and Carry On” tee shirts, at least adopt the attitude.

Have a clear vision: Paint a picture of the desired outcome. Tell people what you want to have happen, not how to get there. Plans, directives, guidelines, best-practices, available personnel and resources—all are subject to change. But if team members know the big goals and are empowered to adjust the plan, they’ll come up with amazing solutions. 

Delegate: Use the talents of the entire team. Some people will be making decisions two and three levels above pay-grade, maybe even above experience level. Give them authority and back them up.

Get out to the front lines. Be present, be seen and talk to the people who are doing the work; they have a clear line of sight to the problem. Ask them what they need. Let them help you analyze the situation. Listen and—most importantly—follow through.

 Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: Create multiple courses of action to tackle any given problem; develop contingency plans and identify the situations that could trigger those contingencies. If you have invested time and energy in a sophisticated plan, only to find that changing circumstances have made it less than useful, move on. Be adaptable; don’t let your ego cause you to hang on to a solution that is no longer viable.

Move Fast with Head Up: This is a challenge, but you’ve got to think two moves ahead. You’ll have to make decisions with less-than-perfect information, but to paraphrase General Patton, a good plan today—executed with energy—is better than a perfect plan next week.

Communicate and Over Communicate: The rapid evolution of this pandemic has caused equally rapid changes in process, people and equipment, leading to uncertainty and feeding the rumor mill. Provide your teams with situational awareness. This will reduce anxiety and build their confidence in the organization and in you as a leader.

Encourage Team Work: Tell your teams to always use a buddy system, what the military calls “battle buddies.” Be there for each other physically and emotionally. Never let a coworker go into an isolation room before buddy-checking their protective gear.  In war we count on each other above all else, and this is war.

Learn Continuously: Conduct after action reviews. What were you trying to accomplish? What actually happened? What will you do differently next time? Make sure everyone participates.

No one asked for this trial, but it’s here and our solemn duty is to face it head on. Our teams are strong, imaginative, and engaged; but at times they will feel uncertainty, exhaustion and fear. That is exactly when your leadership will matter the most.

Dr. Robert M. Underwood is the Chief Medical Officer at San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, NM. He is a former US Army officer and coauthor of The Leader’s Compass for Medical Professionals.

Ed Ruggero, also a former Army officer, works with Fortune 100 companies on leader development. His most recent book is Blame the Dead.