STEER THROUGH TURBULENCE

Critical leadership lessons in turbulent times – by Dr. Muneer Muhamed

On 20 July 1969, after Neil Armstrong had stepped on the moon and uttered those famous words – “A small step for man…” – he was also heard saying “Good luck, Mr. Gorsky” before reentering the lunar lander.

Since there was no record of a rival cosmonaut named Gorsky, this remained an enigma until 1995 when Armstrong broke his silence.

As the story goes, the Gorskys and Armstrongs were neighbours many years ago. One afternoon when playing baseball with a friend, the ball fell near the bedroom window of the Gorskys. As the young Neil went to pick it up, he heard Mrs. Gorsky’s raised voice: “Sex? You want sex now! Not until that kid next door walks on the moon!”

This may be a humorous anecdote about conservative Jewish women at the time but it’s also reflective of many leaders today.

A microscopic virus has made most leaders of enterprises and countries wait like Mr. Gorsky. Instead of seizing opportunities for the ‘new normal’ (from hygienic packaging and safety food to ‘touch-less entry’ and ‘teamlancing’), they have been waiting for a vaccine to help them save the economy.

When leaders in normal times are in self-denial mode, what can we expect of them in turbulent ones?

Recall the reactions of CEOs of BlackBerry, Nokia and Microsoft when the first iPhone hit the market: “Yet another mobile phone!”; “Who can beat a one billion customer company?”; and a sarcastic “Who will buy a US$ 500 phone?” were their respective comments.

Great leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern rise to the occasion. They assess the situation in the wake of a crisis, make clear plans and initiate decisive action. And they’re open about what they plan to do… and what they expect others to do.

With management frameworks such as scenario planning and ‘risk heat maps,’ most leaders are equipped to handle predictable chaos… but nothing prepared them for pandemics. Here are a few leadership lessons for turbulent times.

COMMUNICATE Accept the reality and communicate openly. Leaders should reassure stakeholders that the organisation is doing everything possible to mitigate their anxiety. Stay calm; an open communication process will eliminate rumours.

REASSURE Take categorical steps to alleviate mental and financial stress. Like Amazon and Tata, announce a ‘no layoffs’ policy and advance pay dates. Bring sanity to WFH employees and the community around them.

BE INCLUSIVE Include diversity in the strategic leadership team. Instead of a homogenous set of yes-men, appoint a diversified team that’s well represented by gender, region and experience.

NO PREJUDICE How many times have leaders encountered dissent in the firm? Is everyone saying ‘aye’ and finding data to prove the leader’s view instead of disproving it?

BUILD MORALE During the pandemic, many businesses found alternative ways to grow their business so that employees were not laid off. For example, several grocery stores began home delivery services.

EMPOWER STAFF All employees should be empowered to take quick decisions within certain limits and they can ‘course-correct’ as data emerges. No one can wait for precise data because by the time it’s ready, the opportunity will be lost.

SEIZE CHANCES Today, leaders need to have the talent to spot and seize opportunities before they become obvious to others. Mahindra & Mahindra seized the opportunity and began manufacturing ventilators as soon as pandemic curves started rising.

It takes time to acquire the necessary skills but preparation will make leaders ‘turbulence-ready.’ Here is a four step process to prepare for any crisis:

COMPILE Make a list of all possible setbacks that employees and the enterprise could face, and examine them from all angles. Plan for large setbacks such as earthquakes and the death of a key executive; and unexpected ones such as brand firestorms on social media, fake news and rumours. Create scenarios for each part of your plan, and practise and revise this monthly or quarterly.

PREPARE Identify a diversified team from across the enterprise to point out issues to the right leaders within. The team should comprise all those in strategic leadership positions, outside experts where internal talent is unavailable, legal and HR. In scenario planning, assign responsibilities to different stakeholders.

PRIORITISE Assign priority status for each crisis. If a level 1 incident is handled in time and correctly, it will not turn into a crisis. A level 6 issue may require multiple level involvement, which will not cease until the problem is resolved.

RESPOND Prepare responses
on different templates for each scenario with clear responsibility charts such as what should be discussed with which stakeholders, who will speak, how to speak and so on. And prepare the timing for each action and counselling by the legal team.

Year 2021 will discard those who don’t take charge now and therein lie opportunities for many of us!