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Crisis Leadership Lessons

Guest post by: Patrick T. Malone

Article Overview: Leadership in normal times is relatively easy. The real test of a leader's ability is how he/she reacts in time of crisis. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has provided the disaster and the media has provide the snapshot of leadership or the lack thereof. While there are many lessons that current or prospective leaders can learn, let's start with the most glaring error and the easiest one to remedy.

Crisis Leadership Lessons

"Those who think we were either slow on the response or lacked urgency, don't know the facts," Mr. Obama said. "This has been our highest priority."

I have been amazed that someone considered to be an excellent communicator has been so inept during the current crisis in the Gulf. President Obama was swept into to his office by his ability to reach out and touch people in such a personal way the likes of which has not been seen since the Great Communicator took Washington by storm. Consider what the President communicated with the above quote.

There are a great number of people in Louisiana and across the nation who perceive the government's response was too slow and lacked a sense of urgency. In this one sentence President Obama has denied those people the right to their own point of view and, worst yet, was disrespectful to them at a time he was attempting to influence a change in their point of view.

The consequence of this approach is that every one of those people continues to believe the government's response was both slow and lacked urgency - and that belief is even stronger now. No one likes to be told they don't have all the facts. However most would be open to additional facts if their original point of view was respected and taken seriously.

But that was not the case here and everything the president said, after he implied those people were stupid, fell on deaf ears.

On the other hand if the President had simply said, "I know that some believe the federal government's response was too slow and lacked urgency. I expect that in some cases that criticism might be justified. I have been frustrated at times and that is why this crisis has been our highest priority."

He would have acknowledged their point of view without agreeing, proved that he was taking them seriously and most importantly been able to make the case for changing their perspective of the government's response.

So the lessons for current and aspiring leaders in business, government or just the community are:

1. Leaders must acknowledge other points of view FIRST (that why it's called leadership),

2. Acknowledging another point of view does not mean agreeing with it. It simply saying to others (your potential followers) that you respect their right to a different point of view at this moment in time.

3. Acknowledging and doing business from other points of view is the precursor to explaining the facts and influencing the conversation to different, more motivated points of view.

Effective leadership is the ability to gain willing followers to a common course of action. You may lead but it will not be effective unless you are able to acknowledge other points of view that are different than your own at any moment in the conversation.

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Article Tags: Acknowledging, Leadership, Respect



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