If you have served in a leadership role over the last several years, like me, you’ve learned a lot about leading people and organizations during stormy seas. In 2019, in my role as Senior Vice Dean for Educational Affairs at Drexel University School of Medicine, I led during the closure of Hahnemann University Hospital. As the hospital faltered, then announced its closure in the summer of 2019, medical student education had to be urgently rearranged to other locations. Residents, who were employed by the hospital, went through a difficult process to have their training reassigned. Faculty in several medical school departments faced contract non-renewal. An article in The New Yorker, entitled “The Death of Hahnemann Hospital” (May 31, 2021) does a great job of describing the events, for those interested.
As someone who is always looking for ways to improve as a leader, I searched for a way to understand my experiences during this excruciating period. I discovered that there was a small but interesting literature on crisis leadership. One of my most interesting finds was a book entitled “Leadership in the Eye of the Storm,” by Bill Tibbo. The unifying theme of the book is that the leader’s number one focus during a crisis should be to lead people. That sounds obvious, but often leaders during a crisis will default to tactical leadership, i.e., solving the multitude of problems that arise during the unfolding events, and forget that during this period of chaos, people’s need for communication, comfort, and connection increase. During a crisis, a day can feel like a week, and a week like a month. Daily, not weekly, town halls may be needed. Multiple emails a day from leadership may be indicated, with updates. A command center should be organized. During a crisis, people will fill information gaps with hearsay and rumors. Leadership, through frequent communication, must be seen as the source of information and stability.
During late fall and early 2020, as we started to once again have our footing as a school, we began hearing about a novel coronavirus in China. You know the rest– once again, my organization had a major crisis on our hands. My team had to lead our learners through this critical time and keep medical education moving forward while keeping everyone safe. The lessons learned during the Hahnemann closure certainly helped us do a better job, I think. My team held daily huddles (online, of course) and communicated with students through zoom meetings several times during those first few weeks and months. Somehow, we got through it, and my colleagues at other medical schools in Philadelphia and across the country were a source of ideas and strength.
Always one for an adventure, I went on to accept a position as Dean at a medical school in Ohio in Fall of 2020. Now, managing through crisis in another organization, those same principles—being visible, communicating frequently, and making sure to attend to the needs of the community – became even more important as a new leader in a new position during a time of crisis.
So, now you know what I’ve been up to since my last blog post in 2018. I’m very excited to begin a new chapter as I re-launch Great Road Leadership. Our focus remains on supporting leaders and organizations through executive coaching, leadership and team development, and strategic planning. I hope to hear from you soon about your individual or organizational needs.
Valerie
