Leading Through Crisis
These last few days, I have been thinking about leading through crisis. What does that look like? How does one lead well in the most difficult moments of life? We can all give examples of those who have done it well and those who have failed. It is clearly not an easy task, but here are a few things that appear true in every situation:
Live well. Lots of people are watching.
It always seems that the world, or at least a portion of it, turns their eyes on those who lead in biggest, most significant struggles. Those closest to you focus in on your words, actions, and decisions. How we respond, live, act, and treat others speaks volumes in the difficult days. Lead knowing that you are being watched.
Blaming during these moments is one of the worst things you can do.
Sure, sometimes you are impacted by things that you had nothing to do with, but that doesn’t mean you can’t impact things for good. People are NOT looking for who or what to blame, they are looking for someone to lead, set the example, and live well in front of them. These are our moments to lead, not because someone did something wrong, but because living well matters.
Keep moving forward…LIVE and LEAD well.
Too often leaders stop, lament, and choose to wrestle with the problem instead of finding a solution and moving forward. Problems continue to arise and struggles never stop so we must continue to place one step in front of another knowing that others are following and watching.
All this brings me to my final thoughts….
This has been an interesting year for the Petersons. We have had our fair share of challenges and difficult news, things that have impacted the lives of those we love dearly. Last week we received a little more news.
I have cancer.
To make a long story short, I went Thursday, October 8th for a colonoscopy and found out that I have a cancerous mass. We are working with family and other doctors to schedule appointments, scans, and surgery. I am beyond grateful to be in OKC with immediate family who have expertise in these fields. I am confident that I will beat this. We don’t have a lot of answers at this moment, but I will update you through our blog and podcast over these next few months.
Thanks for traveling this road with us. Hug those you love.