By Shamanth Kuramkote, Undergraduate Research Assistant
In the midst of one of the worst hurricane seasons recorded, it seems that the rate of these natural crises is increasing. Natural disasters and crises can affect many different aspects of people’s lives, which is why they often require wider more unique responses from leaders. In their recent publication, “Steering through the Storm”, the CORE lab’s Julie Dinh and Dr. Salas outline the characteristics of great leaders. They then go on to describe how leaders can use these characteristics, especially during moments of crisis.
The article begins by highlighting character traits that make a strong leader during a crisis. Leadership becomes especially important during times of crisis, but crises also challenge leaders and organizations, some of whom may not be adequately prepared. Dinh and Salas described how individuals are more capable in crises situations when they have previous experiences. Leaders should be competent and communicate their expertise effectively. Followers are more likely to trust and respect the leader if they have already been through a crisis situation or have shown that they have a leadership profile that proves they can be effective in stressful circumstances. They should also be flexible, able to lead either authoritatively or considering the opinions of their followers and should be open to learning. They should also be engaging and show they are interested in the wellbeing of their employees. As well as being open to their employees, by eliciting feedback and maintaining transparency. feel that the leader is undergoing the same experiences as them.
To translate research into practice, Dinh and Salas describe what leaders can do to prepare for crises. It is important that leaders practice teambuilding as well as create an organizational identity and values to which followers will identify with and act upon. They should also make sure their organization and employees are prepared for crises or disasters by taking a holistic look, including considering the socioeconomic status of the employees. Finally, leaders must continue to update these plans based on experiences from past crises and ensure that there is a system to communicate with employees.
Dinh and Salas also explore how leaders can accurately respond to crises. The most important role of a leader during a crisis is to guide their followers through the chaos and this means being “active, accessible, communicative and invested in the same experiences as the rest of the team.” (Pg. 58) The leaders should also distinguish important events, communicate risks, and maintain readiness in order to make sense of the disaster and keep their followers calm. This also means they should remain accessible and be open to new sources of information, especially since events and information can be quickly changing. A good leader knows that they cannot afford to be burnt out and will practice self-care when necessary and appropriate.
Finally, after the crisis has occurred, the role of the leader still is not finished. Leaders should provide resources to help their employees recover from the crises. This ranges from active assistance (i.e. emergency supplies) to organizational policies, (i.e. providing paid extended leave for those affected). The organization also has a social responsibility to aid the community through relief and/or by helping to rebuild. Lastly, the organization should convey the narrative of the crisis sensitively.
The role of leaders in times of crisis is very important, especially with the increase in the prevalence of natural disasters. Hurricane Harvey and now hurricanes like Michael have shown that natural disasters are increasing strength and devastation, which means the leadership needed to effectively deal with these crises must also change. Therefore, it is important that leaders cultivate the characteristics needed to best deal least during crises.
Work Cited
Dinh, J. V., & Salas, E. (2018). Steering Through the Storm. People Strategy,41(4), 56-61.