One of the great opportunities this downturn has created is the selling of how to do something in a crisis.  I get many emails a week offering to educate me on how to do something I thought I knew how to do, but no apparently do not because we are in a crisis and everything is different.  ‘How to lead in a crisis’, how to project manage in a crisis’, ‘how to sell in a crisis’, ‘how to buy a car in a crisis’, ‘how to make French onion soup in a crisis’ (well, that one wasn’t real).    While everyone is on the bandwagon, they are with good cause.  The crisis demands at times new actions for new challenges.  However, at other times, what it demands is a recommitment to what has always worked, but was less understood in good times.  This is the case with leadership.

Given that our job as leaders is ultimately to get results through our teams, and given that declining results are one of the big problems in this economy, then our problem to solve is results.  And, given that we need to achieve results through people, our challenge is to help a group of people who are bombarded daily both in the workplace and the press with dour forecasts for the future, feel motivated, energized and engaged. 

The good news is not only is it possible, it is probable if the leader does the right things.  A crisis sets the stage for the leverage and changing of the most powerful force over behavior in an organization – culture.

Culture is at work every moment.  It is the influence that causes us to behave one way or another, consistent with direction, or against it.  If we want to lead in a crisis, we need to understand that everything we say, ask and do will be processed through this filter called culture.  There is no way around it, and no way to force your way through it.  Culture will have its way with you. 

That does not mean you can’t affect it.  In fact, you affect it with everything you do.  Understanding it, and leading in a way that positively impacts it will create the most significant impact possible. 

On our webcast, which you can access for free at www.franklincovey.com/webcasts, we discussed 10 ideas for positively impacting culture.  They grouped into four main categories – imperatives in fact – that a leader should observe if they want to lead effectively.  They are:

• 1. Building trust
• 2. Clarifying purpose, both long range and near term
• 3. Aligning the systems of the company to help everyone get their job done
• 4. Unleashing the talent there is there, today, in your organization, ready to help.

I encourage you to listen to the webcast and try out at least one of the ideas mentioned to help your team help you on through the crisis.