What’s on My Mind: Leadership and COVID-19
By now, everyone’s had a stab at how COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has affected their daily life. Some stories are very run-of-the-mill. Others are sad, highlighting the powerful impact this virus is having across the globe.
With that in mind, I’m not going to add another “day in the life” post to the Internets with my take on how COVID-19 has changed my family’s life. I live in New York, so you’ve (likely) heard about the measures New York State has put in place to try and stem the spread of the virus.
Many of you are living the same reality. Some better, some worse.
Instead of writing on that, I wanted to write on something else that’s been on my mind, especially over the last 24 hours.
Leadership
The entire world has basically hit the pause button in hopes of riding out the viral storm. This is an unprecedented event that requires a level of leadership many have not seen before. COVID-19 is touching on many ecosystems, across every industry, at the same time. Ones ability to lead a team, business, country, or government is important on any day. In a situation like this, the lens on leadership needs to get even sharper.
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen many leaders rise to meet the challenges caused by COVID-19. This is what we would expect. Wouldn’t we? After all, many get elected or hired to high-visibility positions based on a presumption that they have some leadership skills.
Right?
Maybe?
/* looks at latest Presidential Tweet *\Okay, not always.
Many have and will rise to meet the challenge. Others who aren’t up to the task will start to splinter like wood that’s carried a heavy load for too long. They’ll appear strong at first. Taking everything in stride. However, as the weight bearing down on them increases, splinters will start to show.
Eventually, something’s going to break.
You may have experienced broken leadership in the way your town, city, state or company has dealt with the Coronavirus fallout. One thing is certain - broken leadership in a crisis is never good for anyone.
When a crisis situation unfolds, all leaders start off on the same path. Information comes pouring in. Priorities are set. Needs get addressed
It goes something like this:
Identify crisis / situation
Review preliminary information that’s available
Conduct initial assessments
Flag high-priority issues requiring immediate decisions
Put actions plans into place
How fast, and at what level of urgency, a leader must take on this first round of work depends on each situation. In the case of something unexpected, like a data leak or unprovoked attack, the timeline is short. Sometimes very short. In the case of a budget shortfall or infrastructure problem, the timeline might be longer.
Leaders paths will begin to diverge after this initial flurry of assessment and decision making. If they botch this first part, the splinters will start appearing right away. If they handle the first test well, the next steps they take, or don’t take, will effect which path they likely end up on.
There are three specific steps that a leader can take to reduce the likelihood of them splintering as pressure mounts.
They Communicate Directly and Often
Leaders can avoid splintering by keeping their lines of communication open. Two-way conversations are key here. They must avoid a one-way deluge of orders. By doing this, leaders may uncover vital, unknown information, such as allies or resources they may be able to lean on for help. The fast-track down the path of leadership failure is to assume that you can do everything on your own. President Harry Truman once kept a sign on his desk in the Oval Office that read, “The Buck Stops Here.” It’s an affirmation of the fact that there needs to be a central decision maker behind the wheel. This doesn’t mean a leader is a lone truck driver - speeding around turns while everyone get tossed around in the trailer behind them. Leaders decide direction, but the decision must be grounded in the information provided by their team, allies, or trusted experts. These crucial advisors will be surveying the situation from their perspective, looking out of their own windows as the car travels along. By practicing direct, frequent, two-way communication, leaders can take their advisors perspectives into account while deciding which way to steer the car.
2. They Ask Thoughtful Questions
At some point, a leader will need to take time to think about the situation that is unfolding. This should include a personal retrospective of how they’re doing so far. Asking themselves questions like: What’s gone well? What could they be doing better? And, most important: What do they still need to know? Questioning themselves to identify what they don’t know will help leaders ask their teams the right questions, getting everyone the answers they need. Methods like Socratic Questioning can be a useful guide. Probing questions (What else can we assume? What would happen if? What should we NOT be doing?) can help them think through decisions they have to make. Questioning viewpoints and perspectives is another key. At this point, the leader would have some action plans set in motion. Now, their teams will be coming back with information on how those plans are unfolding. They will also be looking for answers to new problems that have popped up. Questioning the information that’s presented (Why is this better than that? Is this outcome desirable?) ensures the decisions a leader makes next are well thought-out. It also helps everyone uncover possibilities that may not have been on their radars. Remember, it’s not the number of questions a leader asks. It’s the thoughtfulness.
3. They Evaluate and Prioritize Data Needs
Gone are the days when leaders had to wait long periods of time for situational updates. President Lincoln used to have to wait days for data from the battlefield to reach him during the Civil War. Now, presidents have the luxury of a Situation Room. In real time, they can watch a SEAL team enter a compound in Pakistan where Osama Bin Laden might be hiding. The amount of real-time information available to everyone, from the President to a CEO, has increased ten-fold. This doesn’t mean all the data that’s needed is being collected. As leaders make decisions and put plans in place, new data may be necessary to measure their effectiveness. Without fresh data, uncovering future actions or changes to tactics will take longer to surface. It’s important for leaders to reassess the data available to them and fill any holes they might find.
These steps, while very different, are also related. You can’t ask great questions without open lines of communication. It’s also hard to evaluate data needs without asking great questions. By taking the steps above, leaders facing difficult situations can increase their ability to rise and meet new challenges.
What do you think? Are these steps accurate? I’m sure I’m missing some. Let me know what your thoughts are.