Birdflu (May, 2006)

Management > Crisis Management > Lectures > Independent Research > Staples > Scott et al. > Nohria > Nohria con'd > Bennis

Bennis - Leading for the Long Run

In a short lived crisis, many are willing to tolerate character flaws in leaders, as long as they can make the right decisions in a timely manner, which are beneficial to the company.

In a continuing crisis, such as bird flu, people a much stronger and likeable leader, who aspire to and inspire others to greatness. People will scrutinise their leaders more in an evolving crisis and leaders need to live up to expectations by taking actions such as sharing power, as during a pandemic, a succession plan is beyond essential. Anyone could be hit, meaning everyone needs to know how to behave and have all the information, so that the firm is less likely to collapse.

Another reason for empowerment is that during a major crisis, everyone feels they are losing control and so making information and power available will help ease matters. Leaders also need to be tirelessly optimistic to keep up morale.

"One of the insidious qualities a health threat is that it destroys social cohesion" ("shattered assumptions" - see Mitroff, 2005), thus it is up to the leaders to keep the social fabric of the organisation together.

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