When times get tough, leaders carry your company
This fall, two things have captured the world’s attention — the presidential election in the United States and the drastic downturn in the global economy. These issues are both separate and related.
Corporations of all shapes and sizes, across all industries, are looking at the best course of action to take to withstand the economic pressures. Most see the situation as a crisis, some see the opportunity — Warren Buffet, for example is investing while others are in a state of panic.
Corporations need to look not only at what should be done, but who should be doing it — who do they have in a leadership role who can carry them through?
That’s where the ties to Barack Obama come full circle for employers. Put your politics aside and consider the qualities of the president-elect. Is this the type of leadership you would like to have in your organization? In listening to two hours of CNN the night after the election, here are a few of the words and phrases various people used to describe him:
• competitive
• a winner
• in touch with his people
• smart, intelligent
• calm
• gracious
• empowering
• inspiring
• trusted and respected
• honest
• knows it’s not about him
• a visionary
• a great communicator.
It would be hard to compile a more impressive list of qualities you would like to see in a leader. Obama has inspired an incredible sense of hope and community. He has proven that, by working together and uniting around a common sense of purpose and vision, we can achieve the impossible.
How many leaders like this do you have in your organization? How many will you have one year from now? For many the gut reaction is to slash all discretionary spending. Cut here, cut there and ride it out. But — and this is a message every chief executive officer and executive team needs to hear — this is the worst possible course of action you could take.
Of course, we all need to exercise fiscal restraint and think carefully about where we allocate our resources. But putting your people on hold is a mistake. Now is the time for innovation, inspiration and leadership. Visionary companies and leaders will be looking to not just ride out the storm but figuring how to be prepared to emerge stronger than ever and how to be ready to seize opportunities when the recovery begins.
Consider these words from Jerry Grandey, the CEO of Cameco Corporation, the Saskatchewan-based uranium mining giant: “When the times get tough, the last thing companies should do is make sacrifices on the human side. You should do the exact reverse. When times get tough, it’s the leaders you have who are going to carry you through it.”
Leaders are going to be making a lot of decisions. Leadership development, team building, inspiring top performers and overall employee unity are essential to weather the economic storm.
What is your course of action? You can dwell on the crisis and retreat into a corner and hope everything turns out okay, or you can lead like Obama, look for opportunity and inspire your own employees with hope, vision and a sense of community.
Bryn Meredith is president of Bluepoint Leadership Development Canada in Oakville, Ont. He can be reached at [email protected].
