Years ago, before the invention of cell phones, guests who stayed in hotels often requested wake-up calls to begin their day. A wake-up call was an arrangement that an individual could make with the front desk to receive a phone call that functioned like an alarm clock, waking a guest up from their sleep. As we live our lives in this unpredictable and often dangerous world, there are events beyond our control, that will surprise, shock, and even frighten us. These events can wake us up, grab our attention, alert us to impending danger, and shake us from our apathy and complacency. Individuals and organizations are often guilty of personal and organizational sleepwalking. Externally, we may give the impression that we are awake, but in reality, we can proceed through life and business unconsciously sleepwalking in a state of denial, self-deception and ignorance.
The coronavirus pandemic may be one of the most significant wake-up calls that many of us have ever experienced up to this point in our lives. It may be one of the most significant wake-up calls this organization has ever had in the years it has been in business. COVID-19 has been a crisis event. It is insightful that in the world of leadership, there is a category of leadership that is called “crisis leadership”. At its core, crisis leadership is the ability to lead under pressure. In light of the fact that crises are an inevitable reality in the life of every leader, all leaders will be forced to occasionally lead in times of extreme pressure and uncertainty. We are living in such a time. The sobering reality in any crisis from a leadership perspective, is that the mishandling of a crisis can lead to even more damage than the crisis itself.
Wake-up calls have the potential to transform lives and organizations. As a leader, have you allowed this present crisis to serve as a wake-up call in your life and business, or have you chosen to hit the snooze alarm? This crisis is an opportunity for organizations to wake up and engage in what may be long overdue reflecting, learning and adapting. Business as usual is unacceptable in a crisis. If we are unwilling to engage in significant personal reflecting, learning and adapting, we are choosing to hit the snooze alarm and squandering this wake-up call that has the potential to make us better leaders. If we are unwilling to engage in significant organizational reflecting, learning and adapting, we are choosing to hit the snooze alarm and squandering this wake-up call to make us a better organization.
It is uncertain where this present crisis is leading. We can be certain that forward-thinking leaders can use this crisis to lead their organizations to positive organizational change and revitalization. Crisis leadership requires bold, decisive and courageous leadership, in contrast to timid, indecisive and fearful leadership. Have you chosen to respond to this wake-up call as a leader, or have you chosen to hit the snooze alarm? The fundamentals of professional and organizational success are timeless and unchanging especially in times of crisis. Continue to lead with integrity. Stay anchored to your mission and purpose as an organization. Acknowledge that your culture is more important now than ever before. Refuse to allow this crisis to minimize the value you place upon your people and the necessity of unselfishly working together as a team. Be humble, teachable, responsible and accountable. This wake-up call can lead to positive change and transformation in your life as a leader and within this organization, if we choose to stay awake by refusing to hit the snooze alarm.
