This past week Dave Mosby spoke as the keynote speaker at the kick off of
the Kansas Independent College Association’s Leadership Academy. Dave
shared with the emerging leaders 3 strategies to help them steer through
any emergency situation.
As a leader you need to be aware of the storms on the horizon and risks ahead. It is inevitable that you will experience a crisis at some point of your leadership. It’s your great responsibility to have thought through your process before something happens. What do you do when a crisis arises? The key is to be prepared.
Here are Dave’s 3 strategies:
1. Fly the Plane
Stay calm and take a deep breath. Focus on your #1 job – whether it’s running your facilities or taking care of your staff. Many people have the tendency to try and solve the problem immediately, this is when other things get missed and the situation often worsens.
2. Analyze the Situation and Take the Proper Action
After you have kicked off your emergency process the next crucial piece is gathering information. The media, key stakeholders, or members of the community will come to you with many questions in a crisis. You need to organize your team and collect the data first. Once you have the data, you can communicate clearly the facts of the situation. This creates credibility and shows the strength of your team.
3. Land as Soon as Conditions Permit
Many think this should be the first step. In an emergency our gut says, “solve the situation” or “get that aircraft landed!” However, you don’t need to land; you can land later when everything is taken care of. Follow your checklist and carry your process to execution. This is especially crucial in crisis since many people are watching your every move as if you were under a microscope. If you believe you have the solution run through the next steps with your team to ensure you will reach the desired outcome.
As a leader you have a really important job of investing in people. By knowing your assets you will be a leader that is prepared. You could encounter floods, fires, tornadoes, and even chandeliers crashing but by focusing on flying the plane, analyzing the situation and landing as soon as conditions permit you can steer through any emergency situation.
To see Dave’s full presentation, click here.