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Leadership on a tightrope, part 8.
Leadership is easy when things go to plan. But true leadership is revealed when everything falls apart.
I have worked with leaders in the crucible of crisis—financial collapse, reputational damage, existential threat. In those moments, the question is not whether you have the perfect strategy. It is whether you have the mindset to endure, adapt, and lead others through uncertainty.
Consider the astronauts aboard the International Space Station during the 2022 Soyuz coolant leak. With their return vehicle compromised and no immediate solution in sight, they did not panic. Nor did they freeze. They focused. They relied on training, teamwork, and calm communication. With no visibility on how or when they would get home, they trusted the process, stayed mission-oriented, and made decisions based on what they did know.
That's the mindset leaders need when the ground shifts beneath them.
First: stay calm. Panic is contagious. So is composure.
Second: focus on what's in your control. You may not have all the answers, but you can always take the next right step.
Third: communicate with clarity and honesty. People don't expect perfection. They expect presence.
And finally: remember that adversity is a teacher. The best leaders I know emerged stronger not in spite of crisis, but because of it.
When everything goes wrong, the temptation is to retreat or freeze. But the opportunity is to lead—with steadiness, humility, and resolve.
Because in the darkest moments, people do not follow titles. They follow courage.
Originally published by LinkedIn
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