Step Up to the Plate – Mr. Leader

True leaders show their mettle when there is a real crisis and most people are unsure of the next course of action. There is a saying – Trial by Fire. For leaders in the saddle or aspiring leaders – these times of uncertainty are truly a trial by fire. 

The Pandemic has rendered economies and businesses helpless and unable to cope with the massive, sweeping changes that are required. With their economy’s very survival at stake, countries & citizens reeling are under twin impacts of the recession, uncertainties in personal and professional lives, national lock downs, suspension of travel, and a lethal disease on the prowl.

Decisive, prompt and actionable decisions need to be taken – political leaders and bureaucrats across the world are coping with a crisis of gargantuan proportions.

Businesses are coming up with more meaningful partnerships just how LegalWiz.in offers Instamojo deals code on their platform. Such responses determine an outcome that will literally impact the lives of millions of people.

It is at times like these that training, personality traits, conditioning, and inner cores come through to aid leaders.

When a Crisis happens, it shows them the mirror to leaders – and the mirror does not lie. It shows the flaws, the cracks, the strengths, and the truth. Finally it all boils down to how leaders find the strength within and respond.

Such collective leadership will now decide the fate of nations, economies, businesses, and firms. The immediate impact one can see on Tottering economies, disrupted cycles of growth and market uncertainties – aided in turn by WFH, restricted movements, and imposed, enforced lockdowns.

Entrepreneurs, Organizations, Firms, Trade-bodies, and entire groups as a large are reduced to a common denominator – what matters is staying safe. All other considerations must come later.

Amidst this backdrop, how must leaders respond? What are some of the ways they can ensure business continuity, longevity, and minimize the backlash? Some approaches towards the issue: 

The Final Responsibility is the Leader’s

And that’s as plainly as it can be put. It’s all very fine in theory – decentralization, delegation, shared responsibilities, and team-work. But the truth is that leadership, now and always – is a lonely slot and function. By its very nature, the leadership function, is slated to impact outcomes – how you do it is what matters ultimately because that is what will be examined, discussed, and retold.

It is an old saying that while all successes are shared, the failures are the leaders alone. Be definitive about your actions since the final responsibility is yours, in these difficult times. During this crisis, for you it may mean more involvement at your end, but at a macro-level, stay in touch with everything that is going on in your organization.

Focus on outcomes rather than delegating tasks. Delegate outcomes and you will be surprised how new traits emerge in people. 

Tough Decisions need to be taken

The crisis is not going to go away overnight – there are vital and tough decisions that you will need to take with respect to your business. Remember to stay calm and occasionally focus on the small details – they often hold the key to outcomes.

Keep a tab on the how the competition is doing, what they are trying to implement – there’s certainly no shame in taking a leaf from someone’s playbook or experiences. Keeping this very concept in mind, that Military academies over the world teach military history – learn from the past, learn from the enemy, learn from whichever source. So you are not caught unprepared.

And then, be prepared to take calculated, bold decisions but keeping in site the rights of employees during COVID-19.

Stop thinking and start Doing

Think of it this way – when every business and organization is struggling for survival, your problems are very, very small in comparison. Look at it this way. It is possible that business will suffer, revenues shrink, clients will bring pressure and there will be bills to pay. 

But then, as the saying goes – Tough times don’t last, tough people do. As long as you are standing, have a team, and minimal resources – there’s a fighting chance. Stop thinking on the negatives – concentrate on what can be done instead of what is not working – all the world loves a fighter.

The organization will take its strength and lead from you, so you will just need to start doing and stop needlessly over-thinking.  Suddenly you will find strengths within that you never knew you had. 

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Motivate and Communicate

Just as General is nothing without an army – as a CEO is nothing without his team! So what is there is a crisis going on – routines will continue – people will find new ways to cope, get work done, and finish tasks.

Instil positivism and let colleagues and team members share their outcomes. Try to ensure your team uses the right protocols for safety and sanitation, staying motivated. Communicate and ideate about outcomes without recriminations, you will see people responding with their insights.

Collective discussion and sharing help to drive away fear and apprehensions. 

Celebrate every achievement, target achieved – however small – and give due credit. Let the person concerned to speak it. Weave this into the routine and see the energies of the team grow – speaking of achievement builds aspirations in others from the same team to achieve.

And speak of it. A motivated, energized team in your corner will matter – especially now, when harder tasks, expanded roles, and demanding clients are the norm.  

Author

Swapan Dholakia is a senior Communications and Trade Advocacy professional. His current interest areas are trade diplomacy and leveraging Communications to impact society & audiences at large.