In this talk, the speaker urges leaders to refrain from assigning blame during a crisis, emphasizing that blame is destructive and distracts from solving urgent problems. He advises leaders to focus on what they can control, identify impacts, and develop immediate, thoughtful solutions for staff and customers as the economy falters. The speaker stresses the importance of rapid yet deliberate action, inclusive decision‑making, and full transparency across all organizational levels, arguing that leadership is about influence and collaboration, not rank. By involving employees, clients, and representatives from various tiers, leaders can make better decisions that consider the broader impact on everyone they serve.
Chapters
No blame. Blame is destructive in the middle of a crisis. And take care not to blame in your own leadership practice. It's easy to do in these situations. You know, right now people are angry. They're blaming the government. They're blaming scientists. When they get laid off and start struggling with payments, they might start blaming you too. And people are blaming leaders for their response. Now we can argue whether or not the response has been appropriate to the threat. Let's save that for when this is all over. Let's focus on what we need to do as leaders to face the very real challenges the virus and our response is handing us right now. Work the problem. There will be plenty of challenges coming as this thing unfolds, and I mean work each problem as it comes. Identify the impact, focus on solutions and workarounds, face the problem head-on. It's real easy in a situation like this to get overwhelmed with things that we have no control over. Focus on what you can control and try very hard not to worry about the things you can't. Now, the economy is taking a beating, for example. Whole industries are shutting down and more are scaling back, particularly those that deal with the public in large numbers. People are losing their jobs and very soon won't be able to pay their bills. What's your response? You've got to focus on immediate steps that'll be best for your staff and your customers. And you've got to consider all the angles. How will your decisions impact everyone you serve? We've got to move fast but deliberately, thoughtfully. Get people involved at all levels. One of the biggest mistakes leaders can make in a situation like this is trying to do it alone. You're a leader. By definition, you're not working alone. And as I just said, you may have to make decisions that severely impact the lives of the people you serve. So involve them. Be as transparent as possible about what you're facing. And I mean involve everyone. In larger organizations, involve representatives from as many levels as possible. Solicit input from your clients and your customers. Keep remembering, leadership has nothing to do with rank, title, or position of authority. Everyone on your team, everyone, can contribute.
