Now That’s a Leader: Winston Churchill - 10 Leadership Lessons During a National Crisis - Pandemic Edition #6,

In a recent Fresh Air interview about his new book on Winston Churchill’s first year in office as the Nazi Blitzkrieg commenced, Erik Larson considered essential leadership lessons during national crises.

A global pandemic is obviously very different from the outbreak of a world war. That said, the following 10 leadership behaviors - a blend of Larson’s thinking about Churchill and my own - apply universally to any national emergency.

Effective national crisis leaders:

1. Communicate hard truths without sugarcoating things.
2. Translate complex issues and data into meaningful, actionable narrative that people understand. 
3. Never hold out false promises.
4. Always tell the truth for fear of otherwise eroding their credibility when it’s most needed.
5. Inspire people and give them a sense of the path forward, complete with unknowns.
6. Understand the mood of the citizenry. Display empathy and acknowledge people’s concerns.
7. Act fast, when needed.
8. Surround themselves with well-informed, empirically grounded staff who are unafraid to push back.
9. Prepare exhaustively. Immerse themselves in the details and know how to make the insides of government work for the people.
10. Remain stable and consistent.

While some national leaders and U.S. governors are utilizing the Churchill playbook extremely well, it is distressing and dangerous to realize how inadequate most of them are at this moment of greatest need.

Erik Larson's new book is entitled, "The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz." I intend to add it to my reading list.

Image courtesy of Britannica