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Geo7Les10-05-074 |
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7
Lessons for Leading in Crisis Bill
George Jossey-Bass,
2009, 139 pp. ISBN 978-0-470-53187-7 |
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Bill George is a Harvard Professor of management
practice and the former CEO of Medtronics. He is the author of two books on
leadership, Authentic Leadership
and True North. This book examines a wide range of crises
that leaders have faced and how they dealt with them. “The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in
contending with difficulty. Great
necessities call out great virtues.”
(Abigail Adams to her son John Quincy, 1780) “People who are intent on going in a meaningful
direction have a chance of finding their way through the fog of crisis and of
bringing others alongside them.” (Warren Bennis,
Foreword) “In True
North, I defined True North as the internal compass of your beliefs,
values, and principles that guide you through life. Like being in a crucible, a crisis tests
whether you will hold fast to your beliefs.” (2) Lesson #1. Face Reality, Starting with Yourself “The leader’s first job is to define reality.”
(17, Max DePree in Leadership
Is An Art.) Before you can
lead your organization through a crisis you have to recognize it and then get
everyone else to acknowledge it as well.
Many CEOs get stuck in a comfortable mind-set with their version of
reality. Leaders tend to miss the
signals, get defensive, and go into denial, blaming people or circumstances,
not accepting that they must fix
it. Often it is hardest to admit your
mistakes and acknowledge your own role in the origins of the crisis. And unless there is a culture of openness
and candor, few people will risk getting into trouble by telling the boss bad
news. Whatever is the worst that could
happen, it’s not as bad as compounding the problem by denying it. “In today’s world, the penalty for non-adaptive
behavior is severe. With the velocity
of information on the internet, reaction times must be much shorter as the
failure to adapt will be quickly noticed, amplified, and punished.” (27,
quoting Kevin Share, CEO of Merck) Lesson #2. Don’t Be Atlas: Get the World Off Your Shoulders Leaders turn inward because they fear failure and
loss of self-esteem. We tend to
operate with two pictures of ourselves.
In one we are capable and contributing. In the other, we see our reputation being
destroyed by exposure of our shortcomings.
A crisis tends to accentuate the negative picture, and we retreat inward. For many, their image is so dependent on
success that failure deeply wounds their self-image and they live in a world
of denial. Embrace your fears and they will gradually
dissolve. Turn to your teammates and
important people in your personal world for help and support. Without help,
leaders carry an impossible load. People
from outside can provide insights and advice you don’t get from
insiders. Begin with one person who can
help you discover your blind spots, who will be completely honest and open
with you, perhaps your spouse or best friend.
Having mentors is a tremendous asset.
Being vulnerable can be powerful.
It helps you connect with people at a deep level. “Learning how to express your vulnerabilities on
appropriate occasions is an emerging leadership skill. It needs to be used with care,
so that people can have confidence in your leadership and the direction you
are leading them.” (42) Build your resilience by keeping your body in
shape, keeping your mind sharp and spirits high, and by not taking yourself
too seriously. Lesson #3. Dig Deep for the
Root Cause “Like the weeds in your backyard, crises have
roots with long tentacles that are buried deep underground. If you cut down the weeds without removing
the whole root, they will surely grow back.” (47) People are often blocked from recognizing
the root cause because the implications are so frightening. The leader must bring people together to
confront their worst fears and address the risks. “As a leader during a crisis, you should insist
that people give you the whole story.
Then always protect them from negative consequences when they
do.” Trust the people you work with
but get out there in the marketplace and get first hand information to verify
what they are telling you. You don’t
have to solve the problem yourself, but you have to keep asking probing
questions until the real problem is identified and resolved. Superficial solutions will create further
problems. Lesson #4. Get Ready for the
Long Haul It is tempting to simply make tactical changes
and weather a crisis until things return to normal. But it is very difficult to forecast when
it will end. “Like sailors at sea,
they batten down the hatches until the storm passes. But what if the storm goes on for a long
time? What if fundamental changes in
direction are required?” (62) It may
be better to assume it will last a long time.
If things ever return to normal, “normal” will be different. Often situations deteriorate before they
get better. When markets are growing and your firm is
competing hard, it is easy to overlook signs of trouble and to take greater
risks to keep profits flowing based on the assumption that markets will stay
healthy. Decisive action is often encumbered by the
emotional stake in past strategies, people, and decisions. Outsiders can often see what needs to be
done because they do not have the emotional blinders. Are you prepared to ask yourself what a new
CEO would do and then walk out of your office and come back in as that new
CEO and do it? “In a crisis, cash is king.” (69)
Do you have enough cash reserves to get through the worst crisis you
can imagine? Lesson #5. Never Waste a Good
Crisis Use a crisis to fuel the future, to cut overhead,
restructure, to make difficult moves, or whatever is needed to position your
organization for a brighter future. Lesson #6. You’re in the
Spotlight: Follow True North “The world of the Internet has democratized
information and dramatically increased its velocity of transmission. As a leader, you need to find ways to use it
to your benefit rather than bemoan its downsides.” (89) “During a crisis, the spotlight on leaders
is turned up to maximum intensity.”
“In the glare of the lights, your ability to stay true to your values
is put to the test. You can make or
break your reputation in an instant.”
(90) After the 9/11 attacks, national leaders hid while Giuliani was
instantly visible, present, caring for the city’s police and
firefighters. You can’t anticipate a
crisis but you can be ready by being grounded in your beliefs and principles. “The key to handling public issues is to be open,
straight-forward, and transparent.”
(91) “Being transparent creates an open and human image of the
organization. Its leaders seem like
normal people who are tasked to take on difficult challenges. When you are open, you are in a better
position to ask people for their support.
If things get worse, as they often do, people are more sympathetic to
your point of view if you have kept them fully informed. During this time, you should be highly
accessible within your organization….” (92)
“In today’s world, internal and external
communications have morphed into one, making it impossible to draw a bright
line between them. Whatever is said
inside the company is quickly transmitted to outsides, and whatever is
written or said outside is also read or heard inside.” (93) “The greater your openness, the more people
will rely on you to provide them with the inside view, and the less they will
rely on the rumor mill.” (96) “In an era of instant media focus on disasters
and problems, the hunker-down strategy won’t fly. Leaders are compelled to get out in front
of the story immediately or abdicate their opportunities. You are better off seizing the initiative
and telling people what you know and what you don’t, while assuring them that
others are working to get the facts as quickly as possible.” (97) “In fact, acknowledging that you don’t know
is far healthier than pretending you are certain.” (98) “The key is getting out in front of the
crisis in its first hours with clear statements, both internally and
externally, that accept responsibility and build
confidence and credibility with all your constituents.” (102) Lesson #7. Go On Offense, Focus
on Winning Now “Look at the crisis as a gift. It provides you a golden opportunity…to
reshape your business and your industry and emerge as a winner.” (105)
Develop a clear vision of future markets, including how your
customers’ needs will change. Based on these changes, develop a focused
strategy to play to your strengths.
Move aggressively. Invest
during downturns. Here are seven steps:
Keep your head up rather than hunkering
down. Maintain a sharp focus on
winning in the emerging marketplace.
(118) Conclusion “The crisis you are facing, or inevitably will
face, may be the defining moment in your professional life.” (121) “What is your defining moment? When that moment arrives, will you be
prepared to heed your calling to step up and lead? Your defining moment comes when your life
story collides with a crisis in the midst of your path. It is in this crisis that you learn who you
really are.” “Are you being true to
your beliefs and your values? Or have
you buckled under the pressures or been pulled off course by the seductions
of the moment?” (125) |
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recommendations are welcome.