For the past decade we have all enjoyed a level of
success and prosperity that has seldom been matched in our collective
histories. To have led and succeeded
during this period was less a testament to our abilities and more a testament
to our good fortune. I don’t mean to
understate the value of quality leadership, but candidly, you had to mess up
pretty badly to have failed in this period.
But now we are individually and collectively facing
a challenge that is literally unprecedented.
This is no understatement in the face of the response that seems to be
necessary for us to pass through this portal of time.
I think that it is fair to say that for those in leadership
at this moment, your legacy will be defined on the basis of how you respond in
crisis. Here are my recommendations.
1. Be
present. Even when you don’t have all
the answers, your teams are looking to you for optimism and inspiration. You must be present and available.
2. This
is not the time for hyperbole; it is a time for humility. No one has all the answers and speculation
only causes more confusion. Hope is a
virtue, but false hope only disappoints.
3. This
is not the time for empty rhetoric; it is a time for honesty and action.
4. This
is not a time for sounding an alarm; that time has already passed. It is a time
to respond to the alarm and trust those whose advice is based on the best
scientific evidence.
5. We
don’t need to hear how bad things are; dwelling on the obvious is for the
historians. We need to hear how we are going to make things better; we need to be
assured that the sun will follow the darkness.
6. We
need inclusive strategies that offer purpose to everyone. Being part of the solution builds a sense of
community and that will be critical in a successful recovery.
7. Leaders
must have multiple strategies. There is
the immediate; what are you doing during the crisis to survive. There is the
transition time, how are you going to move from today to recovery as the
disruptions are gradually lifted. And then
there is the new normal. You need to
determine how this crisis alters your business in the future. What changes are permanent; is there long
term impact on your employees; with your customer base; with your supply chain. You need to be planning now and putting
together different scenarios because none of us have any certainty what the
future holds.
Right now, nothing is easy. But just because we don’t have all the
answers doesn’t mean that we won’t. You
must lead in a manner that demonstrates concern for the present; optimism for
the transition and confidence for the future.
Lead acknowledging these truths and others will
follow!
