Crisis Leadership: How well do you lead in a crisis?
Education leaders are grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented and uncertain impact on schooling for millions of students across the country. With many schools closing for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, school leaders are confronted with numerous questions that require their immediate attention. How will we continue to feed students who rely on schools for meals? How will we provide learning for students who don’t have access to computers or technology? How will we train teachers to use technology for remote learning? How do we support high school seniors who are transitioning to college or the workforce? How will school closings impact staff salaries and careers?
At the same time, education leaders are grappling with questions that force them to think about the future of schooling post COVID-19. For example, how much of the new learning ecosystem will we bring into the future? Conversely, how will we address existing inequities and work to ensure that we don’t bring them into the future? How might we offer a radically different educational system that effectively educates and prepares all students for the future?
In the midst of all of the questions and uncertainty, leaders must lead. The bigger question becomes how will leaders lead under these adverse circumstances? More importantly, how will leaders take charge in the precarious situation they find themselves in and give others a sense of hope and determination to persevere.
How do effective leaders lead in a crisis?
As Robert Glazer, founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, points out all leaders, even great leaders, must constantly work on becoming better leaders. In his latest book, Elevate, Glazer describes capacity building as crucial to leadership in adverse circumstances. He defines capacity building as the method by which we seek, acquire and develop the skills and abilities to consistently perform at a higher level in pursuit of our innate potential. He suggests that leaders build leadership capacity through intentional improvement in each of the following four elements: spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical.
1. Spiritual Capacity – Clarify what matters most
In times of uncertainty, such as this, what matters most to you? What keeps you up at night? What do you value as an educator? What do you think is the most important goal for you as a school leader and how do you share that with your staff, students, families and community?
For example, is it important for you to maintain relationships and a sense of community with your staff, students and family? If so, how do you convey that this is your purpose and establish and maintain a laser-like focus on accomplishing this goal?
Courtney Rodriquez Sales, Founder and Head of School, at the Bloom Academy Charter School in Houston, TX, in a letter to her staff and families shared that her “greatest responsibility as a leader during this crisis is to create a feeling of normalcy and support for scholars during an uncertain and scary time”. She follows this statement of purpose with her aim to support and equip teachers with the tools they need to provide high quality virtual learning.
She concludes her letter with the salutation—“With fierce dedication”—followed by a video link of her students and staff enjoying learning in school pre- COVID-19, serving as a constant reminder of the community and joy they share. This is just one example of a leader being clear about what matters most. I am sure there are many others. What do you value the most?
2. Intellectual Capacity – Lead by learning
What have you done to build your intellectual capacity, and that of others, to address the new and everchanging demands brought on by COVID-19?
How are you improving your ability to think, learn, plan and lead? Are you constantly sharpening your skills as well as learning and getting help from experts on the things that you don’t know?
I am sure the move from face-to-face learning to remote learning represented a rapid and steep learning curve for many leaders. Similarly, the COVID-19 crisis has forced leaders to make difficult decisions regarding what is the most important content for students to learn, how much is too much, and what can families realistically support at home. These and many other questions and challenges that demand thinking, reflection, and often new learning, are consuming the minds of school leaders.
Fortunately, school leaders don’t have to figure it out on their own. There is an abundance of professional learning opportunities and support available to them. Professional educational and business organizations, universities, non-profit organizations and others are offering free virtual learning opportunities as never seen before. This past week, I participated in webinars hosted by Learning Forward, engaged with thousands of others in The Global Silicon Valley Summit, and enrolled in one of several courses offered at Yale and other Ivy League colleges via Coursera, all at no cost.
What do you already know about leading in a crisis and what more do you need to learn? Glazer reminds us that “we learn the most about leadership by observing leaders in times of crisis”. What leaders are you observing? What experts are you tapping to help you lead and learn in areas where you need support? What systems of collaboration are you facilitating so that you may learn with and from peers?
3. Physical Capacity – Withstand the grind
Can you handle it? Are you capable physically and mentally to lead under these challenging circumstances? Some leaders love a challenge and confidently assert that they never let a crisis go to waste, while others are fearful.
What are you doing to maintain good health, and your well-being? How do you manage stress, prioritize sleep and unplug when needed. If you look tired, stressed out, nervous and unsure – others will not view you as the confident, competent leader needed in times of crisis. What are you doing to make sure you are at your best because how others see you will impact your ability to lead? What are you doing to ensure that members of your team are also putting healthy practices into place? What are you modeling around this?
4. Emotional Capacity – Manage your reactions
According to Glazer, in times of crisis, this is the most important capacity building element. Leaders who exhibit resilience and embrace relationships are the most effective. Leaders who remain composed under challenging circumstances, leaders who endure seemingly insurmountable odds, leaders who exude confidence rather than fear and control their emotions are more likely to be successful leading in a crisis.
I am currently reading, Erik Larson’s, The Splendid and the Vile, A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. Larson, tells a gripping story of how Winston Churchill’s unparalleled leadership “taught the British people the art of being fearless”. He describes how Churchill’s resilient and decisive leadership during World War II enabled the British people to withstand 57 consecutive nights of bombings, endure an imminent invasion by Germany, and rallied them to persevere to overcome hopelessness, and to fight back. He brilliantly shares examples of how Churchill, who communicated often, skillfully began each speech by sharing the honest, brutal facts and ended each one with a promise of hope and renewal.
Think of a past or present leader you admire, especially one who is or has exhibited successful crisis leadership. What lessons can you learn from their leadership to help you lead well during our current crisis?
Whether you choose to build your leadership capacity by focusing on one or all of the elements, Glazer reminds us that in doing so, you are not only improving yourself as a leader, you will elevate others to do the same.
Let me hear your thoughts. What are you doing to build your leadership capacity?
If you found this helpful, please share your response to the question and share the post via Linked In, Twitter or email it to someone who might find it useful.
Donna Micheaux, Ph.D.
www.donnamicheaux.com
dwmicheaux@comcast.net
412.709.2573
Education leaders are grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented and uncertain impact on schooling for millions of students across the country. With many schools closing for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, school leaders are confronted with numerous questions that require their immediate attention. How will we continue to feed students who rely on schools for meals? How will we provide learning for students who don’t have access to computers or technology? How will we train teachers to use technology for remote learning? How do we support high school seniors who are transitioning to college or the workforce? How will school closings impact staff salaries and careers?
At the same time, education leaders are grappling with questions that force them to think about the future of schooling post COVID-19. For example, how much of the new learning ecosystem will we bring into the future? Conversely, how will we address existing inequities and work to ensure that we don’t bring them into the future? How might we offer a radically different educational system that effectively educates and prepares all students for the future?
In the midst of all of the questions and uncertainty, leaders must lead. The bigger question becomes how will leaders lead under these adverse circumstances? More importantly, how will leaders take charge in the precarious situation they find themselves in and give others a sense of hope and determination to persevere.
How do effective leaders lead in a crisis?
As Robert Glazer, founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, points out all leaders, even great leaders, must constantly work on becoming better leaders. In his latest book, Elevate, Glazer describes capacity building as crucial to leadership in adverse circumstances. He defines capacity building as the method by which we seek, acquire and develop the skills and abilities to consistently perform at a higher level in pursuit of our innate potential. He suggests that leaders build leadership capacity through intentional improvement in each of the following four elements: spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical.
1. Spiritual Capacity – Clarify what matters most
In times of uncertainty, such as this, what matters most to you? What keeps you up at night? What do you value as an educator? What do you think is the most important goal for you as a school leader and how do you share that with your staff, students, families and community?
For example, is it important for you to maintain relationships and a sense of community with your staff, students and family? If so, how do you convey that this is your purpose and establish and maintain a laser-like focus on accomplishing this goal?
Courtney Rodriquez Sales, Founder and Head of School, at the Bloom Academy Charter School in Houston, TX, in a letter to her staff and families shared that her “greatest responsibility as a leader during this crisis is to create a feeling of normalcy and support for scholars during an uncertain and scary time”. She follows this statement of purpose with her aim to support and equip teachers with the tools they need to provide high quality virtual learning.
She concludes her letter with the salutation—“With fierce dedication”—followed by a video link of her students and staff enjoying learning in school pre- COVID-19, serving as a constant reminder of the community and joy they share. This is just one example of a leader being clear about what matters most. I am sure there are many others. What do you value the most?
2. Intellectual Capacity – Lead by learning
What have you done to build your intellectual capacity, and that of others, to address the new and everchanging demands brought on by COVID-19?
How are you improving your ability to think, learn, plan and lead? Are you constantly sharpening your skills as well as learning and getting help from experts on the things that you don’t know?
I am sure the move from face-to-face learning to remote learning represented a rapid and steep learning curve for many leaders. Similarly, the COVID-19 crisis has forced leaders to make difficult decisions regarding what is the most important content for students to learn, how much is too much, and what can families realistically support at home. These and many other questions and challenges that demand thinking, reflection, and often new learning, are consuming the minds of school leaders.
Fortunately, school leaders don’t have to figure it out on their own. There is an abundance of professional learning opportunities and support available to them. Professional educational and business organizations, universities, non-profit organizations and others are offering free virtual learning opportunities as never seen before. This past week, I participated in webinars hosted by Learning Forward, engaged with thousands of others in The Global Silicon Valley Summit, and enrolled in one of several courses offered at Yale and other Ivy League colleges via Coursera, all at no cost.
What do you already know about leading in a crisis and what more do you need to learn? Glazer reminds us that “we learn the most about leadership by observing leaders in times of crisis”. What leaders are you observing? What experts are you tapping to help you lead and learn in areas where you need support? What systems of collaboration are you facilitating so that you may learn with and from peers?
3. Physical Capacity – Withstand the grind
Can you handle it? Are you capable physically and mentally to lead under these challenging circumstances? Some leaders love a challenge and confidently assert that they never let a crisis go to waste, while others are fearful.
What are you doing to maintain good health, and your well-being? How do you manage stress, prioritize sleep and unplug when needed. If you look tired, stressed out, nervous and unsure – others will not view you as the confident, competent leader needed in times of crisis. What are you doing to make sure you are at your best because how others see you will impact your ability to lead? What are you doing to ensure that members of your team are also putting healthy practices into place? What are you modeling around this?
4. Emotional Capacity – Manage your reactions
According to Glazer, in times of crisis, this is the most important capacity building element. Leaders who exhibit resilience and embrace relationships are the most effective. Leaders who remain composed under challenging circumstances, leaders who endure seemingly insurmountable odds, leaders who exude confidence rather than fear and control their emotions are more likely to be successful leading in a crisis.
I am currently reading, Erik Larson’s, The Splendid and the Vile, A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. Larson, tells a gripping story of how Winston Churchill’s unparalleled leadership “taught the British people the art of being fearless”. He describes how Churchill’s resilient and decisive leadership during World War II enabled the British people to withstand 57 consecutive nights of bombings, endure an imminent invasion by Germany, and rallied them to persevere to overcome hopelessness, and to fight back. He brilliantly shares examples of how Churchill, who communicated often, skillfully began each speech by sharing the honest, brutal facts and ended each one with a promise of hope and renewal.
Think of a past or present leader you admire, especially one who is or has exhibited successful crisis leadership. What lessons can you learn from their leadership to help you lead well during our current crisis?
Whether you choose to build your leadership capacity by focusing on one or all of the elements, Glazer reminds us that in doing so, you are not only improving yourself as a leader, you will elevate others to do the same.
Let me hear your thoughts. What are you doing to build your leadership capacity?
If you found this helpful, please share your response to the question and share the post via Linked In, Twitter or email it to someone who might find it useful.
Donna Micheaux, Ph.D.
www.donnamicheaux.com
dwmicheaux@comcast.net
412.709.2573
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