Five Ways Leaders Inspire During A Crisis

You have to be able to inspire!

Now more than ever, we look to our leaders for inspiration. Our nation has been sickened by a pandemic, roiled by an economic meltdown, and provoked to protest in the wake of police killings of unarmed African American citizens. Always in times of trouble, we look to those in authority to provide direction. 

The challenge for leaders in such times is to project the sense of self-control in the face of the uncontrollable and calmness in the face of anger and rage. Here are some examples of leaders doing it correctly

Project concern. When civil unrest struck the city of Atlanta, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said, "I am a mother to four black children in America, one of whom is 18 years old. And when I saw the murder of George Floyd, I hurt like a mother would hurt," Bottoms said. "I called my son, and I said, 'Where are you?' I said, 'I cannot protect you, and black boys shouldn't be out today.'" Later, when speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper, she said, "This has been a really tough balance because I feel helpless. I feel angry. I feel frustrated." Sam Walker, writing in the Wall Street Journal, lauded Bottoms for speaking extemporaneously and directly to her audience, a factor that projected concern as well as empathy.

Be honest. Erika Shields, the police chief of Atlanta, has emphasized the need for continued training for police, dismissing heavy-handed officers, and dialogue with the community. Shields, who has marched with protesters, also spoke bluntly. "Law enforcement has a huge role, but there's also a huge social-economic component to this, and as long as we continue to have such a gap between the haves and the have-nots, the lack of minorities in upper management positions... [These “disparities”] are the underlying drivers of much of this, but the police, they have a huge responsibility, and they need to improve." 

Listen fiercely. Tim Ryan, CEO of PwC, has been front and center on racial injustice issues notably since last year when one of the firm's young associates, Botham Jean, was gunned down in his own apartment. Ryan has challenged everyone in his firm to consider their actions and what they should do to ensure more significant equity and opportunity for advancement of the current unrest. Toward that end, he and his executive team are holding meetings to listen and to talk through the issues. 

Ryan told the Wall Street Journal, “Fundamentally, we're trying to make it comfortable for people to share how they feel because that's how we'll get productivity; that's how we get people who want to come to and stay at the firm.” Ryan made the business case for open communications. “If you’re carrying all these concerns when you come to work—whether you’re a woman, whether you’re black—and you can’t share how you feel, the fact that we have you in the seat means nothing. We want you to be here in mind and body.”

Corporate leaders, in addition to Tim Ryan of PwC, are speaking out. According to Americus Reed, a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, “There’s a general trend toward executives in the C-suite being called out and pressure-tested by consumers who want to know where they stand — there’s an opportunity to differentiate not just on function, on what’s a better mousetrap, but on values.” Reed told the New York Times, “It’s smart — they’re taking a stand, hopefully, because it’s moral, but also because they understand the long-term economic game.”

Praise others. Sylvester Turner, mayor of Houston, said at a press conference. “I want to thank the people in the city of Houston, our marchers, demonstrators, protesters for behaving responsibility peacefully, especially Saturday evening, about 98% of people participating peacefully," he said. "So, I want to thank you for that." At the same time, he thanked the police for acting responsibly and ensuring public safety.

Praising police is something Mayor Bottoms of Atlanta also noted, "I know that there are men and women who put on a uniform every day who love and care about our community. And they do it for all the right reasons."

Involve everyone. On a day in June, when Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that deaths from Covid-19 deaths had come down precipitously in the preceding eight weeks, he cited the efforts of New York citizens.  "The people of the state radically changed how they behaved, and look at that progress: lowest number of hospitalizations to date in a matter of weeks. Today's achievement is proof we know we can change… dramatically when we work together." Cuomo was following in the footsteps of Winston Churchill, whose speeches made Britons on the home front feel as if they were personally involved in winning the war.

Righteous cause

Not every leader—including these cited above—gets it right every time, but good leaders keep focused on bringing people together for a common cause. “We must always take sides,” wrote Nobel Laureate for Peace Elie Wiesel. “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” 

Leaders inspire others to take action because it is the right thing to do.

Update 6/13/20: In the wake of another fatal police shooting of a black man in Atlanta, chief of police Erika Shields submitted her resignation. Here is her resignation statement.