In a Time of Crisis, Leadership Counts!

There is NO DOUBT: We are in the midst of a crisis. And we must be aware that it does not bring about an even greater one - than the one we are seeing right now.

In times of crisis, what we need more than anything else is leadership. Leadership that can replace the sense of panic and fear with hope and confidence. Leadership that does not exploit people’s anxieties and prejudices, but rather convinces people to make sacrifices for the common good of all. Leadership that tries to restore the people’s faith in themselves.

The future has always been unpredictable, and we have always had to work with uncertainty. Today we find ourselves in a world characterized by a popular acronym that describes the present business environment: VUCA – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity.

Making strategic decisions against a shifting backdrop is one of the key challenges that global organizations are facing today. Being Focused & Strategic is KEY to survive.

In such unpredictable and fast-moving environments, we are experiencing a dynamic shift in how we communicate, as well as how fast we have to TURN OURSELVES AROUND We so to speak invent while climbing the mountains we confront - and the learning curve arises day by day. So, if we are able to stop up! Reflect just a little - look back and see what we have accomplished, already within a few days, weeks since coronavirus occurred.

ADAPTION IS A NECESSITY

The ability of adapt to current situations has to be learned; in all kinds of leadership, we know that. We also know the consequences of not having the willingness or capability.

As a consultant, I am used to spotting the burning platforms when I was headhunted to lead large TURNAROUND´s.

UNFORTUNATELY, I see too many of them, right now.

Not only in the technical capacity. But more - how management is handled; or rather: How it is NOT handled. Immediately I see the black spots in lack of good leadership!

It is very common that no one is thinking about the quality of leadership until we need it. And what we need now is a high quality of leadership that manages to lift the company and its employees, disregarding the circumstances; this is true leadership.

So the leadership has to switch into crisis leadership.

No matter how hard the times are, the leader must stand firm as the captain of the rear and maintain the overview, respond clearly and competent, stand by his power and right while he/she thinks carefully.

Times have always been hard and leaders always have to deal with ambiguity, as some might add: "It´s part of the job". The ability to adapt is a special task, we have to learn. It comes by awareness of our role, as a leader and it comes by how we reflect & stand firm.

I am talking with a lot of leaders these days, some of them express fear, anxiety, and hopelessness - of course, we are all just humans, we do not know when this will end.

But if no one takes the grabs the helm, when using the ship, as the terminology - NOTHING will ever gonna happen! Nothing!! Dialogue is of great importance, talking with your teams.

What I use to educate in big changes can be compared with what Maslow’s Hierarchy is teaching us: To talk to everyone in your team and make sure they are in good health & mood and find out how they see themselves contributing to this new situation - working online at home. To keep up the good spirit, while working and being alone, is important so we don´t lose hope or fall apart. As a leader, you have the responsibility to gather your teams, online.

During these crises, ambiguity becomes very exponential for everyone. Fear can become contagious across organizations, and the importance of leadership is that leaders must manage their own responses to ambiguity. Clear communication is very much in need.

As a Very Effective Executive Coach I am used to Identifying & Creating Clarity - To Spot Challenges; Knowing the Right Solutions - takes away much wasted time on nothing! - I spend NO TIME to guess, this is straight work!

As a huge fan of Covey, I recommend this tool, used with a consequence step by step:

The Leaders practice 6 Rs

DEVELOP A LEADER’S MINDSET - Explore the critical mindset shifts that will maximize your success as a leader of others.

HOLD REGULAR 1-ON-1s - Increase engagement of team members by conducting regular 1-on-1s, deepen your understanding of team member issues, and help them solve problems for themselves.

SET UP YOUR TEAM TO GET RESULTS - Create clarity about team goals and results; delegate responsibility to team members while providing the right level of support.

CREATE A CULTURE OF FEEDBACK - Give feedback to develop team member confidence and competence; improve your own performance by seeking feedback from others.

LEAD YOUR TEAM THROUGH CHANGE - Identify specific actions to help team members navigate and accelerate through change and achieve better performance.

MANAGE YOUR TIME AND ENERGY - Use weekly planning to focus on the most important priorities, and strengthen your ability to be an effective leader by applying the 5 Energy Drivers

The last tip, what I use to coach/train Leaders to master, are these:

Reassuring - To stay positive & optimistic, it is not naive, it is leadership!

Responsible - leaders take responsibility for their actions, communication & choices.

Resourceful - management is about creating rules - leadership is about creating opportunities Leaders are relentless and resourceful in pursuit of new opportunities for their teams.

Reliable - leaders keep their promises, and are reliable when needed.

Rewarding - leaders do recognize & reward initiative, creativity, talent, results & hard-work

Be Humble - Your TEAMS are precious - without them, you are just a leader of yourself, keep that in mind, Helle Ottesen

Respectful - "respect is how you treat everyone, not just those you need to impress." -Richard Branson

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