Guest Blogger Todd Herman

***After reading Todd Herman’s post on leadership research during a coronavirus quarantine, we asked the entrepreneur and professional coach to pen a few pointers for the business leaders in our industry. If you’re not familiar with the author’s work, learn more at ToddHerman.me or visit his Facebook page where the write-up initially appeared. Bio follows blog. *** 

Until recently, getting a pulse on the truth of COVID-19 proved a challenge. The numbers? Fuzzy. The correct course of action? Confusing. The severity and duration of the precautionary period? Unclear. 

It goes without saying that leadership in times of crises is essential if businesses are to survive. But it does bear noting that strong and decisive leadership is required for businesses to thrive in this environment. I’m of course not advocating for a careless, ‘this thing isn’t serious’ type attitude. Rather, the situation calls for thoughtful, responsive, positive and carefully crafted leadership that promotes creative thinking for envisioning new ways to serve inside and beyond the current state. 

In an effort to make the best use of my time in Coronavirus quarantine (yes, quarantine), I reached out to 29 CEOs to conduct research around the way top leaders spoke in the face of this challenge. What I found were three distinct types of leadership that may help all of us navigate these challenging times with a little more certainty and a lot more compassion. 

The research focused on word choice and sentiment - ultimately sifting leaders into Fear-Focused, Un-Focused and Strategy-Focused categories. The Fear-Focused leaders are emotional, the most concerned and the most overwhelmed in the group. Un-Focused leaders aren’t listening to officials’ warnings, the most dismissive of the situation and feel determined to play the wait-and-see game. Finishing with Strategy-Focused leaders – those who embrace the situation given to them and remain focused on growth and opportunity. 

Do you find yourself in any of these buckets?

Using the research as a guidepost, it’s possible to inch your way to a more positive and infinitely more productive mindset by following the positive behavior patterns of the leaders studied.

A few of the defining characteristics of the Strategy-Focused group creates an excellent lens to observe our own leadership styles. For example, this set of leaders lean on healthy networks, focus on solutions rather than problems and use positive, future-focused language. Are you doing these things? Are there areas where you can improve your language and set a different tone for your teams?  

Some particularly interesting findings from the study - Strategy-Focused leaders are: 

• 3X more likely to know about and speak to Taiwan’s effective handling of coronavirus

• 9X more likely to shift product and service offerings in response to changing social environments

• 6X more likely to use words like “action” and “opportunity” when speaking to the pandemic

• 4X more likely to have already spoken to other CEOs about plans for growth, sustainability and other opportunities

Operating your business like these leaders doesn’t mean you should ignore or downplay the severity of the situation. It does mean, however, that you should seek reliable news and updates, collaborate with other thought leaders, and assemble an action-oriented plan to navigate business during this time. It also supports research showing that the language you choose to use when defining this time of adjustment frames your reality. 

Admittedly, this is a challenging time for all businesses lumbering forward to warily navigate an ever-changing landscape. What’s important is that we step over the “hype” landmines to more efficiently devise a plan with your company’s best interests in mind.

With that, I will leave you with a statement from the Amber Engine leadership team: 

“Amber Engine is dedicated to the health, well-being and safety of our employees, clients, and partners. It is important that we business leaders work together during this challenging time to brainstorm and execute effective solutions for an unforeseen period. The reality translates to something different for persons of every level of myriad industries, but for us – a SaaS provider – it means providing a reliable network our users can lean on, even in times of trouble. Whatever it means for your company and individual situation, we wish you well. Practice the good hygiene and distancing habits outlined by the CDC, think good thoughts, and keep an eye out for announcements from us in the coming days about ways we can help you bolster your business during this difficult time.” 

About the Author: 

Todd Herman is the award-winning author of 'The Alter Ego Effect', performance advisor to athletes, leaders and public figures, and is the recipient of the Inc. 500 fastest growing company award. He’s been featured on the Today Show, Sky Business News, Inc Magazine, PBS and CBS Sports. And lives in New York City with his young family.

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