March 15, 2020

194: Warren Rustand — Leading in a Time of Crisis

23 minutes

How do you lead people when you don’t know what’s going on? Nor when you have a plan in place for an unexpected crisis? Teams are desperate for your leadership. This episode is one of a series of five episodes on the five big moves leaders need to make right now during a crisis.

Warren Rustand is a serial entrepreneur, educator, and public servant. He served as Appointments Secretary to President Gerald Ford and has been Chairman or CEO of 17 companies. He was the previous Chairman of the World Presidents Organization and the Dean of Leadership for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. He also has served on more than 20 boards throughout his career.

Remember, you are a leader of your family, your business, and your community. The first thing to do is seek clarity while everyone around you might panic. Step back for a moment and make sure you have a very clear view of what’s going on. We have to be data-based in our decision-making.

As a leader, think about how you might want to communicate to those who seek your advice. Communication should be driven by the available data that you have and not through rumor or speculation. During this time, it’s okay to be completely transparent that you might not know all the answers right now. It’s okay to be vulnerable and to lead your team by what data might be trickling in day-by-day.

Write out your thoughts and create a plan of intentionality. List your planned steps of action on paper. This applies to both your family life and your work life. Review it and process it before you make choices and decisions. We have to find the right timing to make decisions correctly.

Interview Links:

Warren on Wikipedia

Warren on LinkedIn

Resources:

Scaling Up Workshop: Interested in attending one of our workshops? We have a few $100 discounts for our loyal podcast listeners!Scaling Up for Business Growth Workshop: Take the first step to mastering the Rockefeller Habits by attending one of our workshops.