Sonia McDonald* says managers should follow the example of Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton whose reactions to a constantly changing crisis brought his team to safety.
I’m sure you have had to deal with a crisis at some stage in your life, whether it’s right now, or sometime in the past.
A crisis highlights when things aren’t working, then a typical reaction occurs to ‘just fix it now’ and while under pressure, mistakes happen.
As a leader during crisis you can prevent mistakes occurring, create change and become a role model to others that can change the course of history.
In looking at significant mistakes leaders have made, popular author, Simon Sinek’s recent article in Inc. indicates this.
‘The biggest mistake that leaders make is that they think they need to have all the answers,” he writes.
He commented also that good leadership does not change.
The best leadership strategy is that leaders show up for their people, listen to their needs, and demonstrate courage — even if it’s the courage to admit they’re uncertain about what to do.
Remember, a mistake is an opportunity in disguise.
I recently wrote about how my team was getting caught up in the panic about what was happening around the world and how I found it challenging to stay focused.
What I decided to do was focus on different leadership skills to lead through this challenge, a focus on leadership and courage, not the crisis.
As a leader, you are already responsible for handling the situations that arise each day, as well as your regular duties.
It’s inevitable that you will face disasters or a crisis during your career and you must be prepared to handle them.
Real leaders are not born: They are forged in crisis
Author and business historian, Nancy Koehn has also studied courageous crises leaders for two decades.
In her article Real Leaders are Forged in Crisis, she indicates that leaders become real when they practice behaviour that supports people through difficult times.
She refers to Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton’s long, dark winter on The Endurance (pictured) where he constantly responded to changing circumstances.
When his ship got stuck, he shifted his mission from exploration to survival.
When the ship was no longer habitable, he instructed his men to build a camp on the ice.
When he finally got his team to an uninhabited island, he and a small group of his men sailed 1,300 kilometres to another island, where he knew he could find help.
Four months and three thwarted rescue attempts later, Shackleton finally arrived back to the original island to the rest of his team.
They were all alive, and he brought them home.
In my experience, leadership in crisis is about being the best versions of ourselves through the following qualities.
Adaptability (creativity), self-control, relationship management, communication, building resilience, expanding networks and developing a leadership mindset.
*Sonia McDonald is the Chief Executive and founder of Brisbane-based LeadershipHQ and McDonald Inc. She can be contacted at soniamcdonald.com.au.
This article first appeared on LinkedIn.
