Crisis Leadership — Narrow your Focus

In supporting CEOs I have always encouraged being disciplined to have a “one-line job description” of “Keeper of the Vision”. That means allowing others to run the business, with the CEO focussing purely on ensuring everyone is moving in the right direction towards the Vision and also, crucially, living the Purpose and Values.

Typically this means they are looking at “what’s next” over time frames in the 1,3,5 year range, being Strategic rather than Operational.

However, this has to change now for the Covid-19 crisis. Leaders must narrow their focus in order to lead with confidence.

Under pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. That’s why we train so hard

US Navy Seals adage

When an infantry patrol comes under enemy fire, they aren’t thinking about their vision for the coming years, they act by instinct according to their training and radio in a “SitRep”, a situation report, which addresses the here and now so that they and their command can determine the immediate actions needed.