As a leadership speaker, I recall a valuable lesson I learned in the 90s when I ran an entertainment business. It was during a large event with around 1000 people when I noticed that one of the performers was standing behind a lit screen and casting an unwelcome shadow. I started running towards the stage to tell the performer to move, but my producer calmly advised me to walk quickly instead. This gave me a valuable lesson in leadership, highlighting the importance of staying calm and adapting to a situation, even in a crisis.
- As you run you are in danger of tripping and causing more havoc.
- People will notice you running and assume something is up and panic results.
- Your decision-making process goes south as your knee-jerk reaction cuts in.
Great advice. Especially now. Ask yourself if you or your leaders are, metaphorically, running or walking quickly in a crisis.
Leadership is About Adaptability and Consistent Communication
Strong leaders are adaptive and can handle change, while still maintaining course.. I like the way Jay A Conger (2004) puts it when he talks about ‘Chameleon Leadership’.
2023 will test the ability of businesses and their leaders to adapt to change and deal with the crisis. It requires decisive action in a calm and non-emotional way, with consistent communication to ensure everyone is aware of the plan of action. As a leadership speaker, I stress the importance of making sure that your team feels safe and supported during a crisis, while also keeping them informed of any changes that may arise.
Strong leaders are consistent communicators
A leader who runs during a crisis risks panicking with their staff and clients and making bad decisions. As a leadership speaker, I encourage leaders to stay calm, adapt to the situation and communicate effectively, even in the most difficult of times. By walking quickly, rather than running, leaders can avoid knee-jerk reactions, prevent panic and maintain a clear head to make good decisions.
As my manager, Simone Ashton’s partner put it (who is ex-defence force) ‘officers don’t run, it panics the troops’.
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