How to survive a crisis: Lead before the storm hits

Michael McIntyre explains the need for leaders to demonstrate their leadership ability every day if they hope to successfully lead their team through a crisis.

“Effective leaders don’t wait until crisis hits to define themselves – they do that every day”
-Michael McIntyre

The age-old saying, "Adversity doesn't build character - it reveals it" has an important leadership corollary: Lead before the crisis hits. In the midst of the current economic crisis, many executives are learning this lesson the hard way:  once the waters surge, the winds wail and the ground shifts beneath your feet, there is not enough time to figure out who you are or what you stand for, or to communicate that to your team. For better or worse, your credibility as a leader has already been established in the minds of your team members. The leaders who will be effective during and after any crisis are the ones who have demonstrated their leadership ability well before the storm arrives. In fact, the tough tasks leaders often face in the midst of a crisis underscore the crucial importance of practicing the principles of 'every-day leadership'.

For example, during a crisis, leaders often ask their teams to make a leap of faith: "I know times are tough, but we can get through this!" If the leaders haven't talked straight and delivered with team members in the past, there's little chance that team members are going to line up behind the leaders and follow them into the unknown. Every-day Leadership Lesson: Establish credibility and trust with your team.

During a crisis, leaders often ask their teams to make sacrifices for the company:  "We'll need to cut way back on all non-essential expenses, like travel." If the leaders haven't already demonstrated genuine concern for team members and built up some relationship credit, there's little chance that team members will get excited about enduring personal pain for the sake of the company. Every-day Leadership Lesson: Express your respect for and commitment to your team.

During a crisis, leaders often ask individuals to make sacrifices for their teammates: "If we each take a 10 percent pay cut, we won't have to lay anybody off."  If the leaders have created an independent, competitive culture, there's little chance that team members will start making the wellbeing of their co-workers a high priority. Every-day Leadership Lesson: Create a culture of teamwork and collaboration.

During a crisis, leaders often ask team members to do things differently or do things they've never done: "We'll need to start doing our own maintenance, rather than outsourcing it." If the leaders historically have discouraged change and innovation, team members are not likely to embrace change during a crisis. Every-day Leadership Lesson: Create a culture of flexibility and innovation.

During a crisis, leaders often ask team members to get back to basics and focus on core competencies: "Let's focus on what we do best, and stop doing peripheral activities." If the leader has allowed the company to spread itself too thin and lose sight of its core competencies, team members will have a tough time distinguishing and giving up non-value-added activities. Every-day Leadership Lesson: Identify and communicate the core competencies of the organization.

During a crisis, leaders often ask team members to base critical decisions on core values: "If we say customers are important, then let's do what's right for customers." If the leader has been unclear, inconsistent, or quiet about the organization's core values, then team members will struggle to figure out the right thing to do. Every-day Leadership Lesson: Clarify the core values of the organization.

Effective leaders don't wait until crisis hits to define themselves - they do that every day.

Michael McIntyre, Ph.D., is the director of the Professional MBA program at the University of Tennessee College of Business Administration and a leadership development coach in all of the college's executive-level MBA and leadership programs. He is an industrial-organizational psychologist with expertise as a corporate trainer, management consultant, and executive coach; his focus is on internal strategic planning to help organizations reach their performance goals.