11 Tips To Leading During A Time Of Crisis

“Leadership is only defined by crisis.  Leadership shines brightest when there is its greatest threat.” – Crawford Loritts

Few leaders have faced a time of crisis similar to what Doc Rivers, head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, encountered following owner Donald Sterling’s racist comments.  Rivers did a masterful job holding his team together and navigating them from an emotional perspective through uncharted territory.

Rivers shared his thoughts and perspectives during a May 4th ESPN Sunday Conversation.  His comments provide for us 11 Practices Of Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis. 

1. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Have Been Prepared For This Moment – Most organizations could not have survived the firestorm caused by Sterling but Doc Rivers was the man needed for such a time as this.  Rivers remembered, “I was raised right.  My dad and mom weren’t going to have race in their house.”
2. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Refuse To Be Victims – Rivers’s father taught his son a lesson he has never forgotten when he said, “Never be the victim…You’re never going to be the victim and I’m not going to let you be.”
3. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Do Not Play The Blame Game – You simply do not have time.  During a time of crisis, the problem is to always define the problem.  The solution becomes obvious.  When asked who is responsible for Donald Sterling, Rivers replies, “No one.”  He goes on, “Why does someone have to take the blame for someone else…The target should be on the guy who offended.  Not anyone else.”
4. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Gather Information Before Making Decisions – Information is gathered from one level.  Decisions are made at the next.  Wise leaders always want to hear from those closest to the action, those with boots on the ground.  Rivers said, “When I looked in their (Clippers players) faces, it was bothering them.  They were angry.  They wanted to do something.”
5. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Define Reality – Many leaders sanitize reality during times of crisis.  Christian leaders, in particular, can become super-spiritual to gloss over reality.  Rivers took a different approach.  He acknowledged, “This was a distraction.”
6. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Bring Clarity To The Issue – As Rivers watched race riots in the 60’s, he asked his father who was a policeman, “What are they mad at?”  His dad would reply, “They don’t know.”
7. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Focus On People – In six words Rivers summed up why he is such a great leader.  He said, “There’s no race.  There’s people.”
8. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Act Decisively – Rivers continues, “Once we had proof (of Sterling’s behavior) the league, and people in general, took action and got results.”
9. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Press Forward And Embrace The Daily Routine – The NBA play-offs did not stop just because of Sterling’s comments.  There were still games to play.  Rivers knew “We had to go to practice that first day right after it came out.”
10. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Find Ways To Bring People Together – Rivers finds a sense of calm and reassurance in sports.  He says, “Sports helps me.  Sports, you don’t care what’s next to you.  You just want to know can he play?”
11. Highly Successful Leaders During A Time Of Crisis Give A Vision For A Brighter Tomorrow – Rivers brings us hope by pointing out, “I think something good comes out of everything.”

Know You Are Prepared, Refuse To Be A Victim, Don’t Blame Others, Gather Information, Define Reality, Bring Clarity, Focus On People, Act Decisively, Embrace Your Daily Routine, Bring People Together and Point To A Brighter Tomorrow.  If you do these 11 practices, you will successfully lead people through a time of crisis.

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