#5 Handling Difficult Situations

An effective leader is able to navigate and address difficult situations.

The first four skills I've discussed in previous posts all need to be put into practice when a leader is faced with a difficult situation.

In fact, how you are remembered and/or perceived is often dictated by how you handle difficult situations. Think about world leaders. We remember them primarily by what they said and did in crisis, not by how they handled the day-to-day. Failure in a crisis can undo one's reputation quickly and permanently.

The problems most leaders face aren't global crises, but rather personnel, performance, or process issues. One of the most common would be an underperforming employee. How you, as a manager, address that situation can often dictate how you are perceived as a leader -- for better or worse.

When I was in the 7th grade, one day in history class a friend of mine and I were talking during class and were perhaps being a little bit distracting during a history lecture. At the end of class, after the bell rang, the teacher said in a very calm tone, "Hey Evan and John, can you hang back a second." Gulp. We sheepishly approached our teacher thinking we would probably be sentenced to clapping erasers after school (you might have to Google that one). Instead, our teacher said, in a very affirming tone, "Hey you guys have always been good in my class and I know I won't have any more issues with you guys talking during the lecture. See ya." Would you like to guess as to whether or not we ever talked during the lecture again?

This teacher was authentic in that moment. He was compassionate but was holding us accountable. He was telling us what the standard was and how we needed to come up to that level. But he was also telling us we could do it and he was confident that we would. And here I am many, many, many years later, relating that story to you. That is handling an issue in a perfect way.

He didn't embarrass us in front of the class. He could have, but he didn't. He didn't raise his voice or take an unnecessarily authoritative tone. He didn't lecture us and didn't punish us. Yet, he accomplished his goal perfectly. And in doing so, set for me a model of leadership and dealing with people.

Keeping the end goal in mind is crucial. Is this an opportunity for you to exercise your authority and "show them who's boss", or is it your goal to elevate them to be more successful? Your end goal will often dictate your process and method. Being firm AND compassionate aren't mutually exclusive.

My best advice is to be authentic. Be yourself. Be normal. Speak to someone the way you would like to be spoken to. Don't put on what you perceive to be "how a leader speaks". You aren't Colonel Jessup (some of you will get that reference). You are you. Don't change that persona when issues arise.

Have you experienced a good "in crisis" leader in your career? Share your experiences.
#difficultsituations #leadership #managers #podcast #discipline

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