High Stakes Leadership: Meeting Your Stakeholders‘ Expectations In Times of Crisis

The United States Army’s framework (BE, KNOW, DO) is a practical guide for leaders during a crisis.

We live and work in a world that is becoming more complex, volatile, and uncertain every day. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided all of us with a tangible and, for many, frightening illustration of this reality. As this virus has undoubtedly had an impact on you and your family, you have likely paid a great deal of attention to how those around you have been -or have not been- demonstrating leadership.

What have you learned? Almost certainly, you have come to the conclusion that rarely has the need for exceptional leadership been so clear or so important. What should you expect from leaders in a crisis? As a crisis leader, what should your stakeholders -your families, your businesses, your employees, your communities, etc.- expect from you? A growing body of research offers some answers to these questions.

In my 35 plus years of leading organizations through crises, I’ve learned three simple principles that apply in every case.

First, during a crisis, everyone involved will look to organizational leaders for tangible evidence of leadership. Who is in charge? What actions are they taking? How serious is the trouble we’re in?

Second, when these people look for leadership, they want and need leaders that they can believe in. 

And third, as crisis leadership is ultimately about addressing these concerns -these fears- it is critical to truly understand and appreciate the perspectives of those most threatened by the situation. It is not sufficient to view crises from your own perspective. You must be able to see a crisis through the eyes of others and to offer them clear, compelling, and tangible evidence of leadership.

Read more: entrepreneur