What is the Best Leadership Style for a Crisis?

Leadership during a crisis - one of the most historical examples is the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. You remember, "Houston, we have a problem." The ultimate crisis occurred when the team onboard was faced with an explosion and the team on the earth had to find a solution. You'll recall the famous words, spoken by the leaders of that team, "Failure is not an option.” Strong leadership, coupled with 'out of this world' teamwork, provided a solution! It was not conventional, it didn't follow all the rules, but it did end up creating a makeshift device that cleaned the air of carbon dioxide so the astronauts could make their way home, using only items available to the crew on board the lunar module. In this memorable example, crisis created the organizational courage necessary to take actions that would be unthinkable in business as usual. 

After working with hundreds of different CEOs in my career, I have definitely seen my fair share of leadership styles. Many CEOs believe that a great leader is often able to adapt their leadership style, depending upon the needs of the company, customers, or marketplace. Other CEOs hold the belief that their leadership style needs to be stable and constant, while they surround themselves with a leadership team that is diverse and ever-changing, based on the needs of the organization. But, what is the best leadership style for a crisis? Depending on where you go, you'll find a variety of leadership styles categorized. Let's look at six of the most common styles. 

The Coach. 

The Coach leadership style is just as the name implies. These leaders are part of the team. They are constantly evaluating each team member to determine the best placement, figure out a game plan, and provide feedback to challenge growth and help each team reach their own potential, along with the team goals. This style is very involved with the team - there is no 'C-Suite' mentality.  This leadership style is extremely adaptable and uses the herd mentality to help motivate and drive results for the team. 

The Transformer.

Similar to the coach style but with a subtle difference, in that this leadership style focuses more time and energy on the organizational goals and the bigger picture.  They often evaluate team strengths and delegate tasks to the team while providing autonomy to carry those tasks out with little supervision.

The Servant.

Servant leadership is a stand side-by-side with your team mentality. These leaders are all-in on the mindset of helping members of their team feel fulfilled personally and professionally with the belief that 'happy workers = success'. Some suggest the mentality is not so much leadership, but rather taking a position as a co-worker or herd mentality - "we'll all get to the goal if we move in the same direction together." Others suggest that by being part of the herd, servant leaders take a deeper level of interest in employees personal and professional goals, which leads to more success as an organization. This is a great leadership style for workers seeking constant feedback. 

The Pacesetter.

If you want fast results, this is the leadership style you likely adopt. These leaders are focused on performance, KPIs, and accountability. They try to surround themselves with motivated and driven people who get an adrenaline rush from accomplishments. This leadership style works well in fast-paced environments, but may not be ideal for workers who are seeking mentorship and feedback.

Lassez Faire.

This is a delegation and hands-off style of leadership. This leadership style often hires experienced and self-motivated individuals so that the leader has to spend very little time managing employees or activities. It's important for this leadership style to set expectations so that team members know what goals they are working towards.

Autocratic.

Focused almost exclusively on results and efficiencies, these leaders trust and rely on a small group to make the best decisions for all. They also expect their employees to follow established process and guidelines. This leadership style is effective for businesses or organizations that require precise detail - think of a hospital, a lab, or the military. It's also great for employees who have little experience and require structure, guidelines, and supervision. 

Democratic.

A democratic leader will often ask for input from a variety of levels of the workforce to make decisions. Team members get the sense that they can be part of the solutions and this creates a high level of engagement. This type of leadership fosters creativity and innovation. 

As you can see, there are pros and cons associated with each type of leadership style. And, in a crisis environment, adapting your leadership style can be a tremendous value to your overall organizational goals, engaging employees, and providing clear direction. If you need innovation, the Democratic style may offer the most opportunity for employees to contribute new ideas, while the Transformer style may work best for employees adapting to a virtual work environment. If you're overseeing complex operations that are process-critical, the Autocratic style is a must. 

So, which styles have you adopted or adapted to? Which styles have you seen the most success with during this COVID crisis? Have you asked your leadership team to transition their styles to accommodate the new normal? What style do your employees need right now? While it can be "lonely at the top" it's important to realize when you may need a little help. Ideas360  provides leadership strategy and crisis marketing to business owners. Contact us today to schedule a brainstorming session!