WHERE HAVE ALL THE LEADERS GONE? (Part 1 of 5)

Throughout this economic crisis, I have wondered many times, where have all the leaders gone? I have noticed very little leadership being demonstrated to handle the crisis.

Oh, and how about the appalling lack of leadership that got us into this mess in the first place.

There is a good write up in Fortune magazine (Feb 2, 2009- 100 Best Companies to Work For edition) of an interview with author Jim Collins entitled Jim Collins: How great companies turn crisis into opportunity.
I recommend reading it.

In essence, his message is that in tough times you need at least three things:

1) Enduring values
2) The best talent
3) Leaders with the ability to "zoom out" and see past the chaos around them.

I completely agree with him and would add another item- communication. Over the next few days, I will comment on each point and then discuss the topic of leadership communication during a crisis.

Until next time,
Gail