Leadership Lessons from a Presidential Crisis
“One of the best ways to understand leadership is to observe leaders “during their most intense struggles, when they have to use every resource available,” says David Burstein in a recent Fast Company article. Drawing from Robert Caro’s latest biography profiling Lyndon B. Johnson, Burstein suggests using the same lessons for leaders of every industry.
Impression of Stability
When things start to go wrong, there is a tendency to gossip and speculate what will happen next. Often, if something isn’t done immediately to rectify the situation, those speculations can become self-actualizing. Johnson went to great efforts to keep Kennedy’s staff members on board despite their differences. If you want to shake up an organization, use careful planning and include all members of your team, not just the ones who think like you.
Use a Crisis to Plan for the Future
There’s nothing like a crisis to rally folks together behind a cause. Although many decisions need to be made at rapid-fire speed, there should also be a team of leaders who look at next steps so that the team is better prepared for a “crisis’” in the future.
Balance Planning with a Strategic and Decisive Leader
When you have too many hands in the pot, decisions can be hard to make. And when there is a lot at stake, decisions must be made quickly and thoughtfully at the same time. Which is why it’s important to bring leaders who are both strategic and decisive into your organization. Who are the key leaders within your company? Do they have a solid support system or advisers they can turn to in times of crisis?
Bird’s Eye View of the Crisis
What happened in the past has happened; it cannot be taken too personally or you’ll freeze. Although it usually takes time to have the luxury of being able to look back on a situation and learn, it’s important to have a level of detachment, so that the future can be grasped more clearly.
Leave me a comment below and let me know what you found most helpful when a work situation went south. How was it handled?
