Leading Ways: How You Lead When it Really Matters

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"It was the time when they loved each other best, without hurry or excess, when both were most conscious of and grateful for their incredible victories over adversity."

Gabriel García Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

  1. Take the lead – Right now we need leadership and we need action, not an overreaction. Things are moving, but if they are not with your organization get ahead of them on travel, meetings, contact, and where we work. Your response, not overreaction will make everyone feel that things are being done. Ask them for commitment and action as that will give them more of a sense of efficacy. Better now to ask forgiveness than permission. This is the test of real leadership.

  2. Affirm the uncertainty – It seems uncertain because it is. Affirm that. This is not the time for false bravado, half-truths and saying it will be fine. None of these will make it better, they will only feed the uncertainty and doubt. A few months ago I wrote about leading in uncertain times. It might be good to do a quick review of these tips on how you show up now when it is hard.

  3. Connect to others – As the quote above reminds us, this is a time for the connection to others, at six feet of course. We are at our best when trying times turn us to others. And we will all do better when we pull as a team and watch out for one another. Make sure that you encourage this basic human sentiment in your words and actions and find those better angels in each one of us.

  4. Value Priorities – This is the time when we will see what really must be done, do it and extend grace to ourselves and others when some things are not done. Real leaders understand and act on these principles. Try to remember that these priorities could be established, and work is done, and life does not fall apart when the world gets back to some sort of normal and apply some of that to how you lead.

  5. Avoid the bunker – Yes you are working at home away from your colleagues, yes, the kids are there, yes, it is dislocating to be out of your routine, but do not isolate yourself from life. Get outside, play with your kids, read that book that has been waiting, do the simple things that make life worthwhile. While you may be physically isolated, do not isolate yourself from those things you love. 

These are going to be challenging times, let all of that leadership strength shine through.