They say that you can truly get an understanding of someone in seeing how they handle a challenge. Are they cool under pressure, or do they end up being overtaken by the situation at hand? At the end of the day, it’s all about how someone embraces challenges, especially in a leadership role.

In the times we’re living in now, unique challenges have arisen from COVID-19, an unstable economy, and socio-political strife, offering people the opportunity to stand up and be true leaders. But what are some effective ways that people can demonstrate leadership in times of crisis?

Here are some of the factors that help natural leaders respond to a crisis and bring the maturity and acumen needed to make it through, both in the firehouse and in the field.

Keep Emotions Under Control

Leaders will find themselves in the middle of a stressful and tense atmosphere from time to time. There are enormous physical, emotional, and mental pressures that can lead them to become agitated or even lash out at those around them.

Instead of giving in to this, it’s important to stop and realize that leaders have more control than they think. In those moments, it’s important to take a step back, then take charge of their thoughts and emotions. Over time, good leaders become adept at exercising self-control. Allowing emotions to get the better of the situation may cause a lack of faith from subordinates.

Stay Positive

No matter the size or kind of challenge, it can be difficult to tap into a positive mindset. Positivity is the fuel for productivity. When the going gets tough, leaders can choose to get caught up in the negativity or choose to do something positive and productive about it.

People often look to their leaders for guidance and observe their demeanor and overall preparedness for tough challenges that may come up. During the most demanding of moments, leaders should exhibit a positive overall attitude while also keeping people informed of the facts surrounding a situation.

Manage Expectations

While staying upbeat and positive is helpful, it still helps to treat people with respect by being as honest and upfront with them as possible. When crises strike, people will want to get over it and get back to normal as quickly as possible. As a leader, this is the time to face the situation head on and understand the magnitude of the problem. Leaders shouldn’t opt to ring any alarms, but they need to be able to convey the seriousness and potential impact of what’s at stake to those who are and may be affected.

Don’t Make It Personal

Good leaders can end up taking challenges personally. And, not every strategy or decision that’s made will yield the best results. As a leader, it’s important to not feel rejected when things don’t turn out the way they hoped.

The more leaders start taking things personally, the more difficult it can be to maintain composure. What’s more, taking things personally may allow the noise hovering around to cloud their thinking and perception, in turn harming their decision-making skills. In reality, those in charge don’t have much control over the situation, so keeping realistic expectations and exhibiting confidence can help to keep people informed and feel that they are being led productively.

About Provident Fire Plus

At Provident Fire Plus, we offer custom tailored packages to best protect firefighters and volunteer firefighters. We understand the risks that emergency response teams are subjected to on a daily basis, and have worked to serve these dedicated professionals for over 87 years. For more information about our products and policies, we invite you to contact our experts today at (855) 201-8880.