United Nations Headquarters
“We have got to assume it is going to get worse and worse and worse.”
Anthony Fauci, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
As damaging as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and tornadoes are, their impact is most often local or regional.
Pandemics, by contrast, are global. When you combine a pandemic with uncertainty, you get a powerful formula for fear and even panic. And so that is why those in leadership positions need to step to the fore and be a positive presence for those they lead. Dr. Fauci, who has been his institute’s director since 1984 during the AIDS crisis, is not given to hyperbole; he is telling the truth, and that's what leaders must do, too.
A senior executive I know made this point just the other day. He also said something else: be there for the younger employees. These folks, as the executive explained, have not experienced downturns in the market. They were not around for 9/11 or even the Great Recession. It is essential, to be honest and forthcoming with them.
When adversity strikes, people are looking for direction and guidance, and that’s why leaders must exert their influence to shape the best way forward.
Leadership action steps
Avoid sugar coating. Be straight with people. Reveal what you can about the business, but do not make promises you cannot keep, e.g., no layoffs. Stick to the facts. And remember that even what you think is valid now may not be so tomorrow.
Stay connected. Whether your employees are in the workplace or working from home, make yourself available. Like you, they are feeling stressed about work as well as their family members. Listen to them. And keep listening. Be open to help when you can.
Take care. The stress on leaders now is enormous. Uncertainty weighs heavily. There often is a tendency is to push aside personal concerns. But if you are in charge, you must make certain you eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise when you can. Getting outside for a quick walk not only provides you with some exercise, but it can also give you a break to clear your head.
Be safe. Follow all health and safety precautions, starting with stay home if you are ill. Cough or sneeze into your arm. Avoid shaking hands. Wash your hands regularly. (Experts recommend singing the Happy Birthday to yourself twice to get the proper wash time correct.)
“Adversity does not build character; it reveals it.”* And it will be the revelation of character that is necessary. Employees are looking to leaders who do not shirk from responsibility, but rather embrace the challenge. Such leaders do not hold themselves apart; they bring along others with them. They delegate responsibility and authority, all the while remaining in the loop to monitor what is happening.
As bad as this crisis is, it will present us with opportunities. What those opportunities are may be unknown, but as the saying goes, “never waste a good crisis.” Leaders must be thinking ahead as soon as they are able.
Accordingly, adversity reveals more than character; it also shines a light on talent. Women and men who have gone unnoticed suddenly find themselves in the spotlight with an opportunity to apply their skills to emerging problems. Doing so will mark them as people to give more responsibility and eventual promotions.
While we all hope that this crisis will pass in short order, health experts warn that more novel viruses will plague us in the future. How leaders act today will set the tone and pattern for how we deal with future crises.
Troubles have a way of shrinking some,
But elevating the minds and hearts of others.
Follow me, they say. I will lead.
Come along, they say.
Together we will make our way.
*Note: The quote about adversity is often attributed to James Lane Allen, a 19th and 20th-century American novelist.
