Leading in a Coronavirus Crisis

There is no better time to emerge as the leader than in the middle of a crisis. Whether the crisis is the loss of a major customer, the main server failing, the price of your company’s stock tanking or the most recent Coronavirus which has shot a hole through the bow of our economy, in the moment of crisis, what is needed is a leader.

Four weeks ago, our economy was on fire and we had not heard about the Coronavirus. Yesterday, I went to Costco and found out the line to get in wrapped around the store, they had no toilet paper, no milk or bread and the number of cases of water you could buy was limited to two. Today, as I meet with staff and clients, there is a feeling of stunned disbelief of what is happening to our economy. I talked to one colleague who said she was terrified she was going to lose her job and did not have the savings to sustain herself. More impactfully, I did not talk to one person who expressed hope that this Coronavirus is going to be a short lived problem.

Although all of us act differently in the moment of crisis, one thing that is always needed when there is a crisis is a leader. The following 6 tips will help you become the leader in the moment when crisis strikes.

1. Get calmer: When others respond with disbelief, fear, inaction or moving away from the crisis, this is what a leader lives for. The opportunity is to provide leadership when it’s needed and exactly where it’s needed. Quickly assess the situation and figure out what needs to be done to improve the situation.
2. Get closer and get involved: We work with many senior leaders who know they have teamwork and communication problems on their team. For example, the leader knows that several members of their team don’t get along and are not in agreement with the team’s vision and goals. Instead of getting closer, getting involved and resolving the conflict, these leaders tend to hide in their office and hope that the problems will be resolved. Do the opposite of this. Get out there and make sure the conflict is resolved.
3. Do the right thing: While it’s easy to ask yourself what the right thing to do is, it’s much more difficult to actually do it. The right thing may be the opposite of what most people do when faced with a crisis. When teams go into conflict, most people stop talking. When a company loses a big customer or the main server goes down, most people point fingers and place blame. When the Las Vegas mass shooting occurred at a concert, most people ran away. Most people. Except for the leaders. Leaders know that when most people are moving in one direction, they have the opportunity to move against the flow and do the right thing.
4. Take action and mobilize your team: In a moment of crisis, few people step up and take the leadership role but almost everyone will help if you give them a job to do. Having something to do helps people stay calm, stay focused and take action to improve the situation. Each day, make a list of the things you and the team have accomplished to improve the situation.
5. Over-communicate: During chaotic times, normal communication channels won’t be working as well as usual. People will be hungrier than ever for information. Give them an opportunity to provide input. Ask people questions to get their feelings, opinions and reactions to the emerging situation. Maintain your visibility and make it clear that you are accessible. Immediately clear up any rumors or misinformation. If you don’t have information, let them know that too.
6. Provide hope: Most people want to follow a leader who has a positive vision that the crisis will be resolved and tomorrow will be even better than it was today. Rudy Giuliani, often referred to as America’s Mayor, said it best about 9/11 and his positive vision about emerging even stronger: “When I said the city would be stronger, I didn’t know that. I just hoped it. There are parts of you that say, ‘Maybe we’re not going to get through this.’ You don’t listen to them.”

When all is going according to plan, most anyone can lead the team in the right direction. The true test of leadership, though, is do you still have those followers when little is going according to plan and you find yourself in the midst of a crisis situation? Great leaders run towards, not away from the crisis. Over time, they not only get the team through the crisis, but build trust, respect and admiration for their leadership.