Leadership coaching aimed at empathy, transparency and steady vision can help executives build crisis communications confidence.
Key factors to effectively lead through crisis
Cunningham notes a few key traits leaders should exhibit in times of crisis:
- Transparency
Stakeholders have the right to information and explanation about what leaders do and don’t know about an ongoing situation. - Empathy
Unfortunately, empathy tends to take a back seat during stressful times. There is a big need to bring in empathy and connect emotionally and elevate the human connection with other stakeholders. Empathy can show up in a lot of ways. Simple messages such as “I am scared too” can go a long way toward acknowledging the stress and anxiety people may feel. - Clarity
Sometimes leaders feel responsible and need to answer questions. This leads to guesses and assumptions that don’t benefit anyone. Saying “I don’t know” increases credibility as opposed to lying. Minimizing or shifting blame is never the right way to handle a crisis situation. - Frequency
In a crisis, there is a “golden hour” within the first hour of a crisis where there needs to be an expectation to provide information to help navigate all the uncertainty. With changes in technologies, rapid response is expected to control the flow of information. - Steady Vision
Another aspect of leadership is to hold a vision. A leader must be able to see the big picture and create the right messaging related to empathy and reputation. Reassurance and long-term vision can help ease some of the difficulties during a crisis.
When crisis inevitably comes, good leaders must know how to navigate in the moment – during the most critical moments. Teams of people and healthy organizations depend on it.
During crisis, yes, leaders are concerned about organizational reputation and lasting impacts, but the physical safety of stakeholders and an intentional focus on their emotional wellbeing should always come first.
Dr. Cory Cunningham, a faculty member at Leeds who teaches the crisis leadership module in the LEED: Executive Leadership program, knows that leaders who are prepared to stay steady during workplace situations like active shooters, fires, natural disasters and rogue employee escalations, can effectively manage teams through crisis.
Cunningham earned her PhD in organizational communication and crisis communications from the University of Oklahoma in 2009, during the time of the Virginia Tech shooting. Her focus came from an interest in exploring the communications aspects in heighted situations to prepare and respond effectively in those times of immediate crisis.
“A crisis is an opportunity for a leader to emerge,” Cunningham says. “People can rise to the surface during this time. Those with high levels of emotional intelligence and those leaders naturally skilled in persuasion and influence can rise to prominence if given the opportunity during a crisis.”
Crisis leadership vs. crisis management
Cunningham says there is always the need for leaders to be inspiring and acknowledge the human aspect of business, but especially so during times of crisis when emotions are high, and people tend to be more reactive. During a crisis, the best leaders are capable of self-regulating and remaining calm and cool.
Crisis leadership is reactive and focuses on real-time reaction to an unplanned or unexpected crisis when it hits and how to navigate it. Crisis management, alternatively, focuses on pre-crisis steps for planned situations that can include crisis preparation, due diligence and risk assessment.
Ready to be a better leader during times of crisis?
Leeds will offer our Executive Leadership program on campus in May with a class focused on crisis communications and leadership. The module will look at the crisis model: pre-crisis, crisis and pro-crisis. You will drill down into the pre-crisis aspect and focus on strategies and best practices for leaders/organizations to be doing on an ongoing basis. You will take away key skills related to proactive thinking and inquiry to help you be more proactive in a variety of high-stress situations. Learn more and register for this executive leadership opportunity.