Tip of The Iceberg: Crisis Leadership for the Long Haul
Nobody said leadership was easy. And it is certainly not a surprise that leadership during a crisis is even more difficult. The leaders currently dealing with the unseen iceberg of Covid 19 can testify to the fact that they could not have envisioned what this leadership journey would be like.
But, like a roller coaster, when your car is on the track and moving, there is no turning back. If you signed on as a leader in neutral---or even good---times, this turn of events is now part and parcel of the job. Today’s leaders tell us that they always knew that crisis leadership would be very different from leadership under normal circumstances. What has caught some by surprise, however, is the number of different types of leadership required. They are noting the shifting emphases and styles needed to lead effectively as the situation evolves. From the identification of a state of crisis, through the various stages that follow, leading people will demand different behaviors: the delicate art of leadership must encompass the ability to look beyond the immediate to offer a vision of inspiration and hope, while at the same time, responding effectively to the very present changes in emotions and needs of the people who look to their leader for support and empathy. This is particularly true in slowly unfolding crises such as this pandemic.
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Virtual Background: New Tools of The Trade
Elizabeth is a principal with a health economics consulting firm based primarily in the northeastern part of the United States. Her current work involves leadership and project management, drawing on quantitative and qualitative research, and managing clients. When she was hired by her current employer two years ago, it was made clear that her primary base of work would be her home. During the recent months of lockdown and work-from-home, Elizabeth’s level of comfort and success, while WFH, have made me think about, not only what mindset and skillset it takes to make this shift, but also other lifestyle improvements that the shift enables.
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Riding the Bull: Careers in Chaotic Times
Uncertainty makes many people anxious. Because of that, most of us go out of our way to create a sense of predictability in key areas of our lives. That is certainly the case with employment: most individuals strive to have a decent bead on their future direction.
Of course, not everyone shares the same across-the-board roster of expectations about earning a living. Some individuals view work primarily as a means of making money to meet their economic needs. They may see what they do as “a job,” and look outside of work to provide fulfillment in other dimensions of their lives. But a significant portion of today’s population expects work to provide a great deal more than a living: yes, they are seeking remuneration, but they are also looking for additional elements such as fulfillment, status, the opportunity to be creative, make a social contribution, travel, engage with stimulating people and problems and more.
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Priming for Re-Entry
For so many of us who have currently made the shift to WFH from WAO I expect we are missing some aspects of our daily work, and also beginning to realize what we have gained. According to a recent GALLUP study (April 3, 2020) 3 out of 5 people would now prefer to continue working from home, whereas 41% would like to return to work. [US Workers Discovering Affinity for Remote Work, Megan Brenan.] These numbers made me wonder what it was about this arrangement that led new work-at-homers to express this preference.
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