Crisis leadership: Three steps in doing the right thing

Crisis leadership has been put firmly into the spotlight over the last ten days.

We’ve heard the words of presidents.

We’ve read about the actions of business.

And both are under heavy scrutiny.

It’s been exceptionally difficult watching the pictures of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Governments and companies have been forced to move quickly.

And the communication of some has been far better than others.

Let’s look at three steps we can add to our own crisis leadership skillset.

1. Take the moral authority

Establishing the moral authority is one of the first things we talk about in crisis management.

It boils down to this: what’s the moral high ground in this situation?

Or in even simpler terms, what’s the right thing to do?

FIFA made an absolute mess of this over the last week.

While BP demonstrated how, despite the heavy financial impact, it should be done.

Let’s start with FIFA.

It began when the football associations of Poland, Sweden, and Czech Republic stated they’d refuse to play Russia as a result of the invasion.

Ukrainian civilians had already died, and cities were under fire.

All three sides were due to face Russia in World Cup qualifying, and they urged FIFA to take a stand.

But the governing body were silent.

Eventually, they issued a statement, saying:

The member association representing Russia shall participate in any competition under the name “Football Union of Russia (RFU)” and not “Russia”.

This ‘sanction’ for the invasion of Ukraine was met with disgust.

It took another 24 hours for FIFA to finally pull the plug and suspend both the national team and domestic clubs from competing.

But the reputational damage was done.

BP’s decision

Contrast that with BP.

As the crisis deepened, the oil giant faced calls to sell their stake in the Russian state-owned oil firm Rosneft.

This 19.75% share provided half of BP’s oil and gas reserves and a third of their production.

But in a statement, CEO Bernard Looney explained:

I am convinced that the decisions we as a Board have taken are not only the right things to do, they are also in the long-term interests of BP and our shareholders.

Mr Looney also announced he’d be leaving his position due to his Russian connections.

The sale of the Rosneft shares is predicted to cost the company £25 billion.

And yet they’re doing it because, as their statement says, it’s the right thing to do.

Taking the moral authority.

2. Explain your position clearly

Vague, generic language used in crisis times can be easily attacked.

Audiences see through it, and ask a simple question.

What are you actually doing?

FIFA were guilty of this in their first statement, saying they would ‘continue its ongoing dialogue’.

Which means little.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), though, got it even more wrong.

Following international pressure to eject Russian and Belarussian athletes from the Beijing Games, an emergency meeting was held.

The IPC decided to allow the 72 athletes to compete as neutrals.

And, rather than face the cameras, they released a statement:

The IPC and wider Paralympic Movement is greatly concerned by the gross violation of the Olympic Truce by the Russian and Belarussian governments in the days prior to the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine being described as a ‘gross violation of the Olympic Truce’ was immediately criticised.

Governing bodies from Germany, the UK, Ukraine, and the US all penned strongly-worded responses against the decision.

Andrew Parsons, the IPC President, argued that the underwhelming response was due to their own Paralympic ‘framework’.

But within 24 hours, the u-turn was complete and the athletes were banned.

It’s an example of how hiding behind technical jargon and weak words is easily attacked.

Crisis leadership demands action and simple, clear language.

Like this unequivocal statement from Friedhelm Julius Beucher, president of Germany’s paralympic committee:

Here [the IPC] argued with a set of rules, while in Ukraine there are no rules for shooting and killing.

This decision sends totally the wrong signal.

What happened today was a dark page in the history of the IPC and the matter is not forgotten.

It’s a dark day for the Paralympic movement.

3. Communicate regularly

The above image is a still from a video the Ukrainian President posted on social media last week.

In the early days of the conflict, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the embodiment of this third principle.

He was everywhere.

From posting selfie videos on his Twitter, where he spoke directly to his people.

To addressing the European Parliament, eliciting a standing ovation.

Zelenskyy has been rightly praised for his conduct in this crisis.

Rather than leave office, he’s enduring what his fellow countrymen and women are enduring.

It’s what must be done by leaders everywhere in a time like this.

The former actor and comedian turned president also understands the power of propaganda.

The Kremlin are using it to paint a very different picture of the war to its own people.

But his authentic videos, like the one below, demonstrate reality in a way that Government photo ops fail to.

Zelenskyy’s ubiquitous presence has undoubtedly played a role in the support being shown across the world.

The simple fact of him being on the city streets boosts morale.

As does regularly sharing updates, showing that he’s still standing alongside his people.

Crisis leadership

In amongst all this, crisis leadership demands speed.

The ability to gather a team and decide quickly what the right thing to do is.

The skill to explain simply and clearly what action you’re taking.

And the awareness to communicate as soon as possible with everyone who needs to know.

It’s difficult to put the gravity of the ongoing Ukraine crisis into perspective.

The impacts will undoubtedly be felt for decades.

We must, as individuals and as businesses, decide how we respond. 

And what the right thing to do is.

Colin Stone is Communications Lead at Pink Elephant.

You can read more about him here.

Photos in Crisis Leadership blog by Thomas Couto / NATO on Foter / BP / IPC / Volodomyr Zelenskyy and Pink Elephant Communications.
Crisis Leadership blog edited by Andrew McFarlan.