The Leadership In Hard Times

The Leadership in Hard Time

Introduction

A leader’s capability is measured during uncertain times. During the hard times, leaders are required to have an ability to seize opportunities and focus on the chances that present themselves. Possessing leadership skills does not necessarily have to do with the title but the future thinking capability and the willingness of a leader to proactively step up and create a culture of progressive action. This paper will focus on leadership in during the Coronavirus pandemic period which has impacted many companies and develop a plan for positively increasing the performance of the organization through the use of the five practices of exemplary leadership as developed by Posner and Kouzes.

The pandemic has increasingly affected the economics, labor markets and enterprises include the global supply chains resulting to widespread business disruptions (Strielkowski, Firsova, Azarova and Shatskaya, 2022). The effect of Corona-virus was felt by all business in the world. Leaders attempted to examine the broad range of interlinked issues that span from keeping their customers and employees safe, reorienting operations and navigating challenging government support plans. Performance and achieving growth confidently and consistently is not easy since leaders face challenges on how to manage the uncertainties. During the pandemic period business sales dropped while other businesses were unable to repay the outstanding debts.

During the pandemic, many businesses have been forced to close their doors. The outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted economies worldwide and left an uncertain future for many industries. Leaders have had to make difficult decisions in order to protect their employees and business (D’Auria and De Smet, 2020). The pandemic has put a strain on everyone, both personally and professionally. Leaders have had to quickly adapt their management style in order to support their employees through these tough times. Many are working remotely for the first time, which can present its own challenges.

How to Increase Performance

There are five practices of exemplary leadership that can help increase performance of an organization during hard times. Posner and Kouzes summarizes the five practices of leadership which include modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging the heart (Díaz, Sánchez-Vélez and Santana-Serrano, 2019). Even during the most difficult of times, leaders need to inspire confidence in their people and project a positive image. One of the best ways to show strength is by being decisive and taking action. Leaders who are able to make decisions quickly and efficiently are better equipped to handle a crisis. The ability to be innovative is another key leadership quality that is needed during hard times.

Leaders who can think outside the box and come up with new ideas are more likely to find success. Creativity is essential in finding new solutions to old problems. Communication is also an important skill for leaders during tough times. Keeping everyone on the same page and informed can help prevent misunderstandings and confusion. Being able to effectively communicate with your team will help you get through tough times together. Leadership during hard times can be difficult, but it is crucial for businesses to have strong leaders who are able to make quick decisions and think creatively. Communication is also key in order to keep everyone on the same page. Having a strong leadership team in place will help you weather any storm.

The exemplary leadership practices will enable a leader to focus on transparency, resilience and connectedness in their plan to increase the performance of the organization during the hard times. The leader ought to focus on having a vision, adapting to new ways and open to changes as well as generating new ideas. Exemplary leaders are those who lead by example. In order to gain the trust and respect of your team, they must first be someone that they can look up to. This means being honest, transparent, and ethical in all that they do. It is important to show the team that they care about them as individuals. Take the time to get to know them and what motivates them. When they feel appreciated, they will be more likely to go above and beyond for the company. The leader should always be looking for ways to improve upon the status quo. This means thinking outside of the box and being open to new and innovative ideas especially during hard times. One of the most important things a leader can do is empower their team members to make decisions and take action. This allows them to feel like they are part of the process and helps to build their confidence even during hard times.

Conclusion

Leadership is especially important during difficult times. When the going gets tough, businesses need leaders that can help them navigate through the challenges. Leaders need to be able to make decisions quickly and efficiently while also being able to motivate and inspire their team members.  During difficult times, businesses need someone that can make quick decisions without hesitation. Leaders need to be able to think on how to improve operations and survive during challenging times. In order for businesses to grow and survive during hard time, they must be willing to take risks. Leaders need to create an environment where it is okay to fail and learn from mistakes. This will help to foster a culture of innovation and creativity. The leadership in hard times is someone that a team can look up to during difficult times. Leaders need to challenge the status quo and encourage their team to do the same. They should be willing to take risks and learn from their mistakes.

References

D’Auria, G., & De Smet, A. (2020). Leadership in a crisis: Responding to the coronavirus outbreak and future challenges. Psychology, 22(2), 273-287.

Díaz, E. R., Sánchez-Vélez, C. G., & Santana-Serrano, L. (2019). Integrating the Five Practices of the Exemplary Leadership Model into Entrepreneurship Education. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(3), 10.

Strielkowski, W., Firsova, I., Azarova, S., & Shatskaya, I. (2022). Novel Insights in the leadership in business and economics: a post-coronavirus update. Economies, 10(2), 48.