Leadership in Crisis :: How To Make an Impact.

“I wish I could advise you in the best way … but I have literally no point of reference.” I was on a long, emotional phone call with my mother after the events of COVID-19 had seemingly paralyzed society. Should I risk the travel home? Fly or drive? What was the best way forward? Truly, I feel as if anything … this pandemic has leveled the playing field for all of us. We’re all in the same boat, operating in uncharted territory.

After living through a couple of weeks of #quarentine2020, social distancing, and the apparent demise of the global economy, I was reflecting on my actions, words and leadership (or attempt at leadership) as the crisis really began to unfold. LEADERSHIP. In my mind, “leadership” is usually a word reserved for C-level executives. However, I do think we all hold different levels of leadership or influence (creative thought leadership) in different areas of our lives (influence over family members, friends, students, followers, co-workers, etc.). Leadership would be the distinguishing factor of humanity at the end of all of this. As a micro-influencer (and a media consumer), I started to notice a pattern emerge. Some digital media accounts + news outlets caused a wave of anxiety and a craving for more information. Others brought me a sense of calm and togetherness. Who was I in this space? As a loved one, friend, blogger? How would I let this define me? How could I leave a positive impact?

DING! An email hit my inbox after I had spent some time tossing around the idea of my hypothetical leadership style. This email was composed by the CEO of an executive search firm, Gary Burnison, and the content has been swimming through my mind almost like a Dory-esque character (consistent + relentless).

While it’s natural in uncertain times for people to turn to the leader for definitive answers, sometimes the authentic answer is “I don’t know right now”—quickly followed by, “And here’s what we are going to do.” 

When studying successful CEOs, the executive firm’s research highlighted some extraordinary leaders. They all shared a consistent four qualities: the setting of vision/strategy, driving progress, financially savvy and invaluable in crises. CUE: Current world events. Are you the person a friend dials up to share some good news and comfort? Are you being authentic with your current feelings / situation and projecting positivity when discussing the future? I think, as a member of Corporate America, a daughter, a fiance, a friend and a blogger … it’s important to reflect on how current world events affect your life … and how your words + actions will impact and build a bridge into the (hopefully virus-free) future. Remain calm, have a plan, and project positivity.

Leadership guru, Jim Collins, spent the majority of his career studying businesses who weren’t good … but GREAT. In his 2011 article, “How to Manage through Chaos”, he encourages us to recognize and separate things that are IN your control and things that are OUT of your control. The leaders that were GREAT mitigated their responses to things out of control and kept moving forward (The 20 Mile March example). Consistency was KEY. Good leaders kept pace with the their great counterparts, but tended to dwell on things out of their control and lose sight of the end goal. One foot in front of the other.

Financial markets are out of your control. Customers are out of your control. Earthquakes are out of your control. Global competition is out of your control. Technological change is out of your control. Most everything is ultimately out of your control. But when you 20-Mile March, you have a tangible point of focus that keeps you and your team moving forward, despite confusion, uncertainty, and even chaos.

What is your goal? Focus on what you can control. Are you trying to create a positive space in an otherwise noisy platform? Have you been checking in on your family + friends + neighbors consistently to check in? Are you being creative / productive in how you spend your time? Choosing innovation over consumption? Praying instead of scrolling? How you spend your time now can have an outcome on how we enter our next phase of life. We can’t control the mandate for self-isolation and the slow of daily life. You can control your attitude and your response.

So, what can we do to improve our response to current world events? How can we make an impact? The executive search firm also listed out their six steps of leadership as a focus guide:

1. Anticipate. Be smart. Listen to government officials, take precautions, be aware of the social climate around you and how quickly circumstances could change. How are current circumstances shaping social media? What do your friends / family need from you right now? A sunny smile + word of encouragement? A reading list?

2. Navigate. Just put one foot in front of the other. If you think too far into the future, it could cause anxiety. If your plans go awry, pivot. Some of the greatest companies / products / leaders chose to continue innovating through turbulent times. Try to emulate this in your personal life. Focus on the consistent one foot in front of the other.

3. Communicate. Be mindful of your communication. Are you being a positive influence or a negative? Stop with the doom and gloom. Also, go the extra mile to communicate with loved ones. Maybe this is an area of your life that needs improvement - the universe is giving you an opportunity to work on it.

4. Listen. Don’t make like an ostrich and bury your head in the sand. Keep up with world happenings, but be careful about how much (and what) you’re consuming.

5. Learn. Keep up with your personal and professional development! Listen to that podcast you love, learn a new skill, try a new recipe, use some of your extra time to finish those long procrastinated projects. Use what’s happening now to grow in wisdom.

6. Lead. Improve yourself to improve others. Don’t lose sight of your goal and keep marching forward. As within all circles of humanity (families, businesses, churches, schools, etc.), people are the lifeblood. How are you making an impact?

I would also like to add that if you are a sister, a brother, a mom, a dad, a friend, a companion, a worker, an influencer, a member of society … you have the opportunity to implement these leadership pillars. Your sphere of influence extends further than you think - how will you define your leadership?