🚀 "Crises have become the new normal, but how do we successfully lead organizations through challenging times?
I’m thrilled to share that last week, Director web magazine published an article showcasing the master's thesis I co-authored with Peeter Vahtramäe, titled "Dynamic Managerial Capabilities’ Role in COVID-19 Crisis".
This work, especially the interviews with top Estonian leaders, significantly broadened my understanding of leadership and inspired me about the kind of leader I aspire to become and the qualities I seek in leaders on my journey.
If you haven't had a chance to check out Director magazine or are looking for a quick summary, I’ll try to encapsulate the essence here in this post.
What, according to top Estonian leaders, makes a good leader?
⭐️The most crucial traits include empathy, stress tolerance, listening skills, modesty, excellent communication abilities, decisiveness, caring for and trusting people.
⭐️A leader's personal motivation and belief in their goals are vital.
⭐️They must enjoy their work and understand the broader impact of their role.
⭐️Leaders must realize that no one is perfect, acknowledge their mistakes, and have the courage to be vulnerable. It's essential to focus on solutions, not mistakes, and allow both themselves and their team to make mistakes.
⭐️Leaders bear the responsibility for shaping the work environment's values and their influence on employees, their performance, and mental health.
⭐️They are accountable for maintaining the vision, even in tough times, and it’s crucial from a strategic perspective that a leader has a sense of the future.
Now, what changes during a crisis?
🔥Decision-making speed and managing change become central topics. Making decisions is one of the most critical cognitive activities for a leader during a crisis. Leaders say the worst situation is when no decisions are made.
🔥Rapid periods offer less opportunity to involve people, making leadership in crises more autocratic. However, it's crucial to keep decisions clear, transparent, and well-communicated.
🔥An important focus raised by leaders during a crisis is managing and supporting mental health, increasingly expected from leaders.
🔥Successful crisis management requires prior experience and skills that allow for calm planning and the development of systematic processes for quick, informed decision-making based on limited information.
COVID-19 has shown us all how quickly the world can change and what leadership skills truly matter in a crisis, demonstrating how dynamic managerial capabilities help navigate a constantly changing environment. The external environment is ever-changing, and a leader's ability to adapt and move with these changes becomes crucial.
If you've made it this far and are interested in learning more about what we discovered from the experiences of top Estonian leaders, click here: https://lnkd.in/dmbA4rUv"
#Leadership #CrisisManagement #ManagementSkills #Adaptability