A crisis is not a place for the mild mannered or reserved. Nor should it be an opportunity for transactional leaders to bully their way to ill thought through and potentially damaging decisions. A crisis is a time when a true leader strives even harder to be the best that they can be.
At the recent Woolley Grange conference, Footdown ran an event with the aim of offering alternative ways of dealing with crises. We brought together dynamic leaders from both public and private sector, and asked them to stand still. Metaphorically speaking we closed the door, locked out the world and focused on encouraging a more reflective approach to development.
The first day saw speakers advancing a range of ideas for leadership. Roger Martin-Fagg, our resident economist, set the tone brilliantly. Although speaking frankly about the level of economic difficulties facing leaders today he had no time for self-pity, stating “The world is still going to grow – but differently”.
Difference and the need for adaptation was a key theme for the next speaker. Ashley Blackmore, the CEO at Community Central, informed leaders as to the importance of “greening” their organisations, making the attitudinal changes necessary not only to work towards a more sustainable future, but also for marked financial benefits.
The first day was concluded with a high impact presentation from Andrew Mercer, CEO of 20C. He gave a personal insight into leadership in a time of crisis, and the costs possible for everyone involved. His mantra of ‘get the organisation to work for the individual’ encapsulated his message, that the resilience of a leader is inextricably linked to the people they lead, and growing together is the only way of achieving the results so necessary in periods of crisis.
Tom Peters said of high performing leaders that once they had reached a level of significant influence “they would never hear the unvarnished truth again”. But at Woolley Grange frank external opinions were offered. On the final morning, using the Footdown model, each guest was asked to bring to the table a live issue with which they were dealing. They were each in turn asked to present to the other participants, and be specific about what help they required.
The contrast between the approaches of the public and private sector only increased the value of this exercise. As police officers passed comment on Solent Stevedores, a cargo service company also involved in cruise vessel services, they themselves heard clear and focused input from the latter’s executive leaders. Different perspectives brought fresh ideas and angles to difficult issues.
So what was it all about? To quote Andrew Mercer, ‘It’s about the people stupid’. An alternative approach to narrow-minded leadership, simply slicing budgets across organisations at a personal cost to the people they lead. Why? Because there are two critical issues at stake: a need to make the workplace a location of meaning for members of staff and leaders alike, and to ensure that organisations are financially viable, allowing them to not just survive, but grow in crises. Doing things the same way we have always done is just not an option.
It is at times of crisis that leaders themselves need to be coached with compassion. At Footdown we create the best possible environments within which such leaders can see themselves, and their organisations, clearly. These environments are not necessarily comfortable places to be, but whoever said true leadership should be comfortable?