Successful Leadership Skills during a Crisis
Successful Leadership Skills during a Crisis
Successful leadership skills during a crisis will help you lead the way and catapult your company.
“Flexibility is the only true security.” What a great quotation for times like this!
Why strategic leadership is more important than ever
I first learned of this quotation from Paula Pant. Paula is a businesswoman, podcast host, writer, speaker, and media commentator on financial independence and real estate investing. She credits the quotation to J.L. Collins. While Ms. Pant and Mr. Collins were applying this principle to the world of personal finance, it’s especially true for anyone who is in a role of leadership during the uncertain times created by COVID-19. To say the least, things are topsy turvy!
I bring up the statement to illustrate why strategic leadership wins every time over working management. In the past few blog posts, we’ve been in a conversation about how important it is to stay in the zone of leadership and not get sucked into the day-to-day of working on projects and operational duties. Now, more than ever, that is true!
Coronavirus Changing Business
A lot has changed in the last few weeks, and you know it as well as anyone. Your team knows it, too. They’re looking to you to be the coach on the sidelines. A coach who is leading, guiding the team, and helping each member of the team to know how they can best use their individual skills and talent to bring everyone through to a win. Strategic leadership will help you rise to the occasion rather than be mired in the projects and duties of day to day work.
Strategic leadership skills allow you to be flexible. In a contest between strategic leadership vs. working management, strategic leadership is fully engaged for the win all day long. The beauty of being a coach as opposed to a player is that you see the big picture. You can pivot and redirect your team and their individual efforts as needed. As you know, the ability to be flexible is in great demand during the coronavirus crisis. These are unprecedented times, and your flexibility is indeed the only true security.
Leadership Tip
In uncertain times, a strategic leader will listen way more than he or she talks. Your team members are smart, creative, and competent. Ask them for solutions to problems they may be facing as a team during this time of working remotely, zoom meetings, and social distancing.
If you’re struggling with staying in the zone of strategic leadership, please check-out Leading Through Crisis: Turning Adversity into an Advantage. I know things are scary now, but you are stronger than you know. I’m here if you need me. Please stay safe and be well. Until next time.
