CPA Practice Advisor - 11

THE LEADERSHIP ADVISOR

How to Lead During a Crisis
AT THIS POINT, there's no point in pretending that things are anywhere close to normal. The
coronavirus crisis has touched all of our lives, changing the way businesses operate and
altering the tax calendar itself. Firms everywhere are experiencing huge challenges, and not
AMY VETTER, CPA.CITP, CGMA

Mindful Technologist &
Keynote Speaker
@AmyVetterCPA

just those related to getting everyone on a Zoom call without a kiddo causing disruption or
home wifi hitting the fritz. Small businesses are under threat right now, with uncertainty at
an all-time high. In times like these, the right leadership can make all the difference.

When you get into a routine of
business as usual, it's easy to rely
on old-hat leadership tactics. A little
affirmation here, a touch of directed
feedback there, and you're all set. Well,
we're no longer dealing with business
as usual, and leadership styles need
to change in kind. There's no playbook
for dealing with how COVID-19 is
changing the business landscape, so
you'll need to look within, dig deep,
and be the best leader you can be,
both for your team members and your
clients. I can't pretend to know all the
answers, nobody can, but I can share
some hard-won wisdom from dealing
with previous tumultuous situations.

BE HONEST ABOUT
WHAT YOU KNOW (AND
WHAT YOU DON'T).

take it personally and don't worry
about being right all the time."
If you are first honest about the
fact you can't be certain, your team
will be much more understanding
about the variable nature of information. Business owners and those in
leadership positions are masters of
their domains, but only to an extent.
In times like these, you know you
can't control everything, and your
team knows it too. There's no point
in pretending otherwise.

HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS THE RIGHT WAY.
You've probably already heard a horror story about a conference call or
Zoom webinar that featured a mass
layoff executed with cold, impersonal precision. Needless to say,

you absolutely do not want to adopt
this approach. No matter the size of
your firm, you should be willing to
engage in frank, empathetic dialog,
even if it's difficult to do so. Trying to
evade responsibility or conversation
is a recipe for disaster.
Obviously, nobody wants to
furlough or lay off team members.
However, that undesirable outcome
is already a fact of life for many
businesses. If it has to happen, it
should be done with compassion.
If keeping people on simply isn't an
option, you should at least be upfront
with departing team members,
offering whatever help you can while
acknowledging your remorse. Most
of all, you have to try to complete
the exercise in the most human
way possible, even while following

social-distancing measures. It may
not be an easy task, but it's just the
right thing to do.

FIND A WAY TO BE
POSITIVE
These are not easy times, but things
will get better. On some days, you
may have trouble believing that, but
I promise you it's true. Remember
to take time to focus on yourself,
eat well, sleep, exercise, reflect, and
find reasons to be joyful wherever
you can. There's a lot to be fearful
of and worried about with regards
to the coronavirus, but there will be
opportunity that comes from this
important historical moment. We're
all in it together, and it's up for leaders,
in business and in all arenas of our
life, to become our best selves. ■

Right now, the goalposts move every
day. We simply do not know when
it will be safe to go back to normal.
There will likely be a long period
of trial and error before society
settles into a normal rhythm again.
That level of uncertainty isn't great
when you're in a leadership role and
people want answers. But the absolute worst thing you can do right
now is pretend that uncertainty
doesn't exist.
"It's essential first to accept
that perfection is impossible and
the wrong thing to pursue," said
executive coach Nihar Chhaya in
a recent Forbes article. "You will
undoubtedly say one thing that
will change the next day, and others may criticize you for it. But don't

MAY 2020 ■

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