Leadership in a crisis

  • London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom

Author:  Penny Mallory

Short Description

The role of Leadership in a crisis, Leading through and out of a crisis is not easy. The uncertainty a crisis brings can leave people feeling disorientated, overwhelmed and unable to act. Intentional leadership is key in these times and those leaders who are able to slow down, step back and challenge their perspectives and exercise […]

The role of Leadership in a crisis, Leading through and out of a crisis is not easy. The uncertainty a crisis brings can leave people feeling disorientated, overwhelmed and unable to act.

Intentional leadership is key in these times and those leaders who are able to slow down, step back and challenge their perspectives and exercise their mindset muscles are the ones most likely to succeed and thrive. The question is how?

Leadership in a crisis

1.   CHALLENGE YOUR PERSPECTIVES

Our perspectives are the way we see the world; they are shaped by our life experiences. Whether we are leading ourself or leading others in times of uncertainty, one of the best things we can do is to slow down, step back and challenge our perspectives.

Slowing down and stepping back to challenge our perspectives might seem counterintuitive in the midst of what appears to be a crisis, but what we see is foundational to everything. The way we see things influences the way we think about things (our mindset), which determines what we do and the results we get.

Observe: This is where we slow down and step back. Questions to ask here are, “what kind of situation is this”, “is this a real crisis, or a problem to be solved?”.

Orient: Here we consider questions like: “what will help in this situation”, “what resources do we have?”, “what do we know?”, “what are we assuming?” and “are we aligned to our purpose and values?”.

Decide: This is the direction we are going to take based upon the first two stages.

Act: This is where we test our hypothesis. However, this is not the end of the loop. As with any process the information we gather creates opportunities for new learning and so the loop begins again.

2.   EXERCISE YOUR MINDSET MUSCLES

Our mindset is the way we think about things and it is shaped by our perspectives. Like the muscles in our bodies our mindset muscles get stronger when we exercise them. Here are four mindset muscles I believe are critical to leading yourself, your team and business through and out of a crisis.

Purposeful: The first step is to adopt a purposeful mindset e.g. doing the things that serves you, your team and your business best. You can start by reminding yourself and your team why what you are doing is important, what problems you are here to solve and the impact you desire to make.

Understanding: In challenging times the hardest things can sometimes be the softest things. Knowing the perspectives, mindsets, talents, skills and needs of your team is critical to leadership success. People want to feel like they are understood. Take the first 5 minutes in your one to ones with employees to inquire about none work issues and ask them for feedback on how you could be communicating better right now.

Reality: Balancing optimism and realism is the key to leading well in a crisis. People thrive on optimism, but optimism alone is not enough. Optimism must be blended with realism. Effective leaders don’t ‘sugar coat’ facts, they explain things as they are and they also know that it’s okay not to have all the facts. They also use language that helps people understand that they can get through the crisis and how they can contribute to finding solutions to daily challenges.

Agility: The way in which you behave in the midst of crisis matters. How your team sees you respond to the current situation will have a huge impact on their behaviour. This is where agility becomes more crucial than ever.

The 4C’s Framework of Mental Toughness a useful way to understand, develop and demonstrate agility in times of challenge and uncertainty:

Control

This is the sense of control we have over our life and out emotions. “How is your team culture a reflection of who you are and how you lead?”

Commitment

This is your focus and reliability. “Do you have good routines and habits that enable you to be successful?”

Challenge

Challenge is your drive and how you respond to change. “How comfortable are you being uncomfortable?”

Confidence

Confidence is your self-belief and influence.

“How effective are you in overcoming self-doubts when they creep into your mind?”

Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter

Author Profile

Video

The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.

Similar to Leadership in a crisis

Jason Hewlett

I Got Sued YESTERDAY. Just like this headline is misleading and complete clickbait, such is the reality we are living in, and the point of this author and PAPERBACK WRITER. I clicked on a post recently after reading wild news stories ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and stumbled upon the Yahoo! article entitled: “Fans Sue Movie Yesterday”. I […]

  • Author: Jason Hewlett
WS Logo 512

Think about a baby’s laughter. It is one of the most contagious sounds when heard; you are bound to start smiling and eventually, break out in laughter, too. So, How to influence the workplace by bringing the right energy? Imagine if you could be like the baby’s laughter in your place of work. The one […]

  • Author: Lizette Volkwyn
Dr. Darren Coleman

Defining great brand values: Five practical pointers A surprising number of brands have values that are about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Seriously. They do. Unfortunately, this only becomes apparent when brands try to bring their values to life via the experiences they want to build. Things grind to a halt because their brand […]

  • Author: Dr. Darren Coleman

If you’re struggling to Become A Better Presenter, or are new to the field, here are some ideas that I’ve incorporated in my 28 years as a keynote speaker/presenter.  Feel free to check them out and see if any can help you along the way!   1) Know your audience better than they know themselves […]

  • Author: Jones Loflin
Mike Robbins

A lot has happened in the past few years since my book, We’re Really All In This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Belonging, was first published in the spring of 2020. I completed the manuscript for this book (which was just released this week in paperback) at the end of 2019. I […]

  • Author: Mike Robbins
Aga Bajer | The Culture Lab

How to Craft Powerful Stories that Can Drive Culture Change There is an old adage that says:   If you want to learn about a culture, listen to the stories. If you want to change a culture, change the stories.    I had a first-hand experience with this very early on in my career. The MD […]

  • Author: Aga Bajer
Joshua M Evans

What do you do if you hate your job? You have three options: you can stay and suffer, you can look for a new job, or you can change the way you view your work. The best choice is to focus on yourself and what makes you happy. This way, even if you’re still at […]

  • Author: Joshua M Evans
Sterling Hawkins

11 WAYS TO LIVE with a New year. New goals. New opportunities. #NOMATTERWHAT IN 2022 Welcome to 2022. 11 WAYS TO LIVE #NOMATTERWHAT IN 2022 What separates the high-achievers that actually reach what they strive for from those that don’t? Even in the face of assuredly new challenges, limits and obstacles… I’ll tell you – […]

  • Author: Sterling Hawkins

© All rights reserved 2024. Created using VOXEL THEME

1902 Wright Place, Carlsbad, CA, 92008