Posted by Greg Rittler on December 12th, 2008

Leading During Challenging Times

The Leadership Challenge

During good times lots of people masquerade as leaders. The truth is, great leaders are few and far between, and the greatest leaders work very hard to become better at leading. The current economic crisis is a great opportunity for leaders to grow and hone their skills. Kouzes and Posner identify Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership in The Leadership Challenge. Take these to heart:

Model the Way

Modeling the way may be the biggest leadership shortage in our current environment. The reason so many people are outraged at the behavior of our CEO’s and public figures is that they have simply lost touch with real people. The Big Three auto executives flying to Washington on three separate corporate jets to ask for billions in “bail out money” is only a minor example of how out of touch many “leaders” are. Step up and walk the walk, talk the talk. Lead the way by demonstrating the way. Be someone worth following.

Inspire a Shared Vision

Vision is indispensable. When things are good you can fake it for a while. I have. You have. Goals and objectives, clear plans, and mission statements can all pass as vision during good times. During difficult times people sense a lack of vision like a horse senses danger. The truth be told, most people don’t know where they want to go or what they want to be when they grow up. Take the time to paint a clear picture of a future worth getting to. That’s inspiring a shared vision.

Challenge the Process

If what got you where you are isn’t working, it’s time to move on. Challenge things. Stir things up. Break your own misguided stereotypes. Bust through barriers. Don’t accept the status quo. Stop believing lies that have gotten you where you are. Now, this isn’t an excuse to start acting like a cowboy… change isn’t for change’s sake. But, it is time to stretch yourself and your systems so that you can grow.

Enable Others to Act

The human urge is to try to take more and more control when things are going down the tubes. While that is an understandable defense mechanism, it isn’t the best way to lead. Leadership is helping followers see a path that they cannot see themselves, and then helping them act on it. Give people the power to do what needs to be done to help your organization get to where you are trying to go. Don’t retain all of the power. It’ll hurt you in the long run.

Encourage the Heart

Good leaders have a pulse on where their people are. Good leaders know how to encourage them. This doesn’t happen in a manipulative way. Instead, encouragement is motivated by caring for and seeking the success of others. Leaders know that people full in spirit can operate at a level that empty people cannot. In fact, it’s these full people that will perform better during a crisis than coasting people do during good times. Go fill them up. I believe this could be our finest hour.

Keep moving forward,

Greg