There has been a lot written about Leadership in uncertain times. Over the last months, I have had the pleasure to interview and have conversations with many leaders. We supported many others and their teams through these times of uncertainty.
COVID-19 and the resulting pandemic have reminded us that the world is "VUCA,"(Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) and it’s likely to continue. In these times of uncertainty, where Covid-19 is sweeping the workforce, those in leadership positions are forced to adapt and flex new leadership muscles. They face challenges for which no playbook is defined. The current pandemic will end, and a “New Normal” will emerge from it.
According to leadership experts, leaders will face new challenges that do not have existing solutions, in the face of which they will have to make sound decisions. This raises the question of the critical leadership skills required to thrive and succeed in an uncertain and complex environment.
In my recent series, "Leading In Uncertain Times," it became apparent that while different companies came up with other solutions in the crisis, there were crucial similarities between leaders' approaches.
In this article, I share five essential skills that emerged throughout the different interviews and conversations I had with senior leaders worldwide.
ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP
In times of uncertainty and complexity, leaders will benefit from growing their "adaptive leadership" skills. Heifetz, Linsky, and colleagues highlighted specific leadership practices to navigate complex situations calling for adaptive solutions.
One of them is to tune one's situational awareness, which the authors refer to as "getting on the balcony." Leaders are encouraged to step away (zoom out) from the challenge ahead to take a broader perspective on the situation, to then plunge back into action. Effective leaders can find the right balance between action and reflection, which I like to refer to as "zooming in / zooming out." Looking at the problem from the balcony allows leaders to gain a clearer view of the bigger picture and reality ahead to then define the best solution forward.
In my interview with Grégory de Jacquier de Rosée, General Manager of the BIA Group, he underlined the importance of holding frequent management meetings (or crisis management meetings). Using these to decide on crucial operational short-term decisions in the face of the crisis is key, while also ensuring that long-term strategic priorities are kept on the radar.
In crises, leaders should resist the tendency to micro-manage and being swept up in the short-term actions. Easier said than done, as stated in the Harvard Business Review' article "A survival guide to Leaders[1]." This article underlines the challenges when you, as a leader, are being pushed and pulled by the events and people around you.
LEAD WITH CLARITY
Clear and regular communication is vital in times of crisis. In times of crisis and chaos, people look up at their leaders to gain clarity amidst the mist. They expect their leader to give explicit directions.
As a leader, communicate with transparency and frequently. Share what you know and what you don't know. Share the good news and the bad news. Be honest and don't hide anything from your people. Communicate honestly on the measures you are taking as a leader, the impact of the crisis on the company's results, the future perspectives, etc. Honest and open communication is essential to build trust and reduce uncertainty.
There are no one-size-fits-all communication approaches. Adapt your communication (message and channel) to your audience to ensure you are understood. As Hjoerdis Stahl, Member of the Executive Board of Post Luxembourg, mentioned, you don't communicate the same way to a manager and a person from the production line. So, adapt your communication accordingly.
Be close to your people and create opportunities to connect. This is even more important in social distancing and WFH policy and helps keep people engaged. Leaders I met initiated various initiatives such as company-wide Information Halls, weekly calls with team-members, team meetings with the systematic participation of a Board member, newsletters, videos from the Board, etc. Bernard Wilmet, CEO of Powerhouse, underlined the opportunity digital solutions offer today to increase connection and interactivity with your people.
And do not hesitate to leverage the power of acronyms, as beautifully done by Luc Imberechts, President and Owner of Bakon USA Food Equipment. Acronyms make it easy for people to remember key messages, even in complex situations. Luc summarized the essential attitudes he expected from his management to thrive in these unprecedented times in one word. "CORRONAh" (which stands for Communication, Optimism, Reduce, Reality, Objectives, Novation, Accountability, Humility).
LEAD WITH VALUES AND FLEXIBILITY
When you're leading in times of uncertainty, you don't have a playbook to guide you, and you are called to make quick decisions that impact others. Moreover, you navigate an environment and context that shifts day after day, asking for a flexible approach. How to navigate with consistency in such environments while keeping your options open so you can quickly adapt in the face of changing circumstances?
Hugo Larguinho Brás (Partner at Reply), and Grégory de Jacquier (General Manager of BIA Benelux) both underlined the importance of committing to core values and principles. They will act as a North Star to guide fast (and sometimes challenging) decision making despite uncertainty. Leading with values and principles will enable a leader to act with courage and clear intent, authentically.
A fundamental principle and value guiding Barbara Dalibard, CEO of SITA (Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques), is the one of fairness when leading her people through the crisis. Active in the airline business, the company was severely hit by the pandemic and activated the partial unemployment measures, which also impacted the employees' wages. Guided by this value, a salary decrease was therefore agreed for the whole top management as well.
Jean-Marc Morange, General Manager of CSL Behring, is guided by fundamental principle : “don't have any regrets when looking backward”. This principle emerged when he experienced the Tsunami in Japan in 2011. As a leader, you are in a position to influence, and with that power comes a sense of responsibility. He continuously led his management team and people with this motto. He invited them to reflect on what they could do more to make a difference to their people, stakeholders, patients, and community daily. In a crisis, people and clients remember who was there to help.
LEAD WITH EMPATHY AND HUMILITY
These are challenging times for everyone, and upon our context and situation, we experience this crisis differently.
Be close to your people, take the time to check in with your teams, ask them how they are doing and listen attentively, and with empathy. Listen with all your senses to pick up the non-verbal cues to measure your people's well-being and adapt your leadership style accordingly. An extrovert alone at home, a couple with small kids in a 40m2 apartment, or a couple in a house with both a separate office will all have a different experience of the situation. The current crisis has impacted everyone differently. As a leader, lead with empathy and take the pulse of everyone's reality.
As an illustration, Didier Ongena - Managing Director of Microsoft Belux – shared the importance of leading the younger generations more closely. This Covid crisis is the first one they are experiencing and quite a major one that impacts their resilience.
Don't hesitate to open up as a leader and display humility. It's the first time we face such unprecedented times, and as a leader, you are hit as hard as any other person. You, as a leader, won't have all the answers. Acknowledge it and dare to communicate it. Dare to be vulnerable and share about your challenges constructively. You'll inspire trust and credibility and create a space inviting others to open up as well.
Georges Chakar, CEO of LINK Advisory, stated, "vulnerability is a driving force." It's giving oneself permission to open up and communicate openly about the uncertainties and risks we face and over which we do not have any sense of control. It opens a space for open discussions with others from which new opportunities can emerge.
Finally, listen broadly. Reach out to all your stakeholders (community, employees, family, clients, suppliers, vendors, etc.) and be attentive to their challenges and insights. Take the pulse and adapt your services and way of working accordingly. Tapping into the full extent of your eco-system can provide valuable insights to help you be more surefooted about your approach.
LEAD WITH OPTIMISM AND RESILIENCE
Managing the Covid crisis is not a sprint; it's a marathon. As a leader, it is vital to manage your energy (mental, emotional, and physical) and recuperate. As stated in the planes' security briefing: "put on the oxygen mask first before helping others." As a leader, take care of yourself so you can be your best self to others.
Sleep well, have fun and make a place for some laughter. Celebrate the achievements and positive moments each day, and encourage your teams to do the same. Fostering one's resilience is vital to ensure you can remain cool-headed and calm in the face of the circumstances and make sound decisions.
Be optimistic and believe in the positive outcomes and your capacity to succeed. All challenging situations bring learnings and opportunities along the way. Focus your energy and attention on those. As research in positive psychology has demonstrated, a positive mind boosts performance, productivity, and creativity….which are all assets to thrive in uncertain times.
Besides personal resilience, leaders also have the responsibility to foster the organizational resilience of their company. Prepare for the future and anticipate such complex and uncertain events that may show up again. Take out the learnings of this crisis and challenge your processes and way of working where needed to boost your company's resiliency. Be prepared and define a clear Business Continuity Plan. The companies that will come out the strongest of this crisis are the ones where the leaders took the time to analyze, reflect and learn from the transformation they went through and adapt to emerge stronger to respond to future challenges.
EXPRESS YOUR FULL LEADERSHIP
In times of uncertainty, people need leadership. As a leader, step up, stay close to your people, show the way forward, communicate with clarity and honesty, and instill a sense of energy and optimism. There is no playbook to manage such situations, so be prepared to take important decisions on your feet and focus on values and principles to guide your actions. Trust and empower your people and foster a holding environment in which people feel comfortable taking initiatives and generate creative solutions to support the companies’ results.
Current times are inviting for a shift in leadership paradigm. Now is the time to reinforce your organizational resilience for the future and strengthen your leadership culture towards a more adaptive one. Leaders who increase trust at all levels and lead with empathy, honesty and humility will be better prepared in face of future challenges.
If you'd like to connect about the interviews or discover how Lead3 can help you growing your leadership culture and create high-performing teams, get in touch.
Alexandra Vanheule is the Managing Director of Lead3, an international network of seasoned Leadership experts. Lead3 supports companies in growing self-aware responsible leaders who can navigate an ever-changing environment with ease and create high performing teams. Alexandra was previously Head of Learning & Development at PwC and has a wealth of expertise in NeuroScience, Peak performance; Leadership and Team Performance.
Interested in exploring how Lead3 can support you and your organization? Reach out to us (info@lead3.eu)
[1] A Survival Guide for Leaders (hbr.org)