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Agency Espresso

Good leaders, bad news

Just over ten years ago I was in the crisis control centre at one of the UK's largest companies. My agency then was working with their board on a major crisis response exercise (funnily enough, the scenario was a pandemic).

I expected glass walls and big screens. In reality it was a small airless room in the basement, with a telephone, a whiteboard and a fax machine.

But, of course, it's not gadgets streaming data into a hi-tech room that matter in a crisis. What matters really is the leader themselves. Their character, their values, and their motivations — and from these, their ability to face up to bad news.

Bad leaders want to be popular, shying away from bad news. It's not really a crisis. If it is, it'll all be over soon. And if it goes on longer we'll just start pretending it's fine. Hurrah!

But the repeated knock-backs from false hopes meeting hard reality are what gradually breaks the spirit of those they lead.

Good leaders don't care about being popular, they care about ensuring the best outcome. In a crisis good leaders tell the bad news straight, pulling no punches. Then they show how we can improve on that situation through collective effort, acting as a whole for the benefit of everyone. They are honest about how hard that will be, how long it will take, and that there'll be setbacks. They inspire genuine hope for a better future, even though that is further away.

Good leaders know that trust is the currency of leadership, not popularity.

So, as some national leaders now seek to get 'back to normal' even as the pandemic enters a new wave, agency leaders will have to take the big decisions on their own shoulders that were previously laws and rules to be followed. What is safe really? How will we run things but still protect people? How can I support and look after my team?

In all these hard decisions, if we face up to bad news and act to build trust rather than popularity, we will be better leaders.

It's hard being a leader in these times — but this is when leadership is most needed. You've got this.

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