In the modern world, crisis is the norm. CEOs, execs, and small business owners alike must all learn to handle one crisis after another. What makes someone a good crisis manager? Justin Menkes, author of the recently published book Better Under Pressure, after five years of research, found three key consistent characteristics that the best leaders display.
1. Realistic optimism.The exceptional leaders demonstrated an ability to understand the actual circumstances of a crisis and see a chance to excel. Managers must “have a passion for confronting reality,” Menkes writes in his book, referring to a pragmatic mindset. “You have to show you’re staring into the sun with them; you’re aware of the risks,” he says.
2. Finding order in chaos. This combines calmness, clarity of thought and a drive to fix the situation. It requires practice to stay clear-eyed and fearless when the world is tipping. It also requires zeal to solve a puzzle by engaging your staff.
3. Subservience to purpose or corporate goals. This commitment to the higher calling or the greater good can make a huge difference. Effective leaders channel staffers’ “intense reactions to recurring setbacks in a way that constructively keeps the organization moving forward,” Menkes writes in his book. By encouraging a team to come together around some important goal, it cultivates tenacity and encourages collaboration.
Via CNN Money