MODULE PAPER - II

COVID 19 : LEADERSHIP

By Brig Neeraj Gosain, India, Ser No 23

“What leaders need during a crisis is not a predefined response plan but behaviors and
mindsets that will prevent them from overreacting to yesterday’s developments and help
them to look ahead.”

Introduction

1. The humankind is in the core of a global crisis because of the Corona virus. It is
definitely the largest crisis witnessed in the recent past by the world. The decisions and
the path we as a human race take in the next few weeks or months will probably shape
the world for the coming generations. They will shape every aspect of our lives starting
from healthcare systems, economy, politics and even religion and culture. We thus need
to act quickly and decisively and most importantly with vigour and determination. We will
have to take into account the long-term consequences of our actions. As we approach
the sixth month from the time it was first detected, world leaders are still grappling to find
answers to deal with the onslaught caused by the novel Corona virus. While the
pandemic transcends all known barriers – geographic, physical, social and cultural
humanity is still undecided whether to term it a health problem or an economic tragedy or
perhaps a socio-political of astronomical proportions. On 19 May 2020, with almost
49,24,160 cases of COVID-19, and 3,20,804 deaths across the globe and as financial
markets from Tokyo to New York continue to collapse, realization is dawning that such
disruption is unprecedented in recent history. COVID-19 has become personal to every
individual on this planet.

2. What is intriguing, though, is the vastly differing and in some instances, almost
self-seeking & inward approach by many heads of states at a time when the human
community should have come out united like never before. While world leaders are at last
speaking out about the gravity of the pandemic, their voices are less a choir than a
cacophony — a dissonant babble of politicians all struggling, in their own way, to cope
with the manifold challenges posed by the virus, from its crushing burden on hospitals
and health care workers to its economic devastation and rising death toll. The choir also
lacks a conductor, a role played through most of the post-World War II era by the United
States.
Aim

3. The aim of this paper is to analyse the leadership qualities required by the world
leaders to deal with the critical situation like the COVID -19 pandemic.

Lessons from the Pandemic

4. This situation certainly calls for responses to some pertinent questions regarding
strategic leadership and governance during such crises. Some common observations
this crisis has thrown up are as under:-

(a) No Man is an Island. Corona virus is emphatic proof that borders, walls,
fences notwithstanding, we are one world, one humanity. In today’s connected
world, troubles are bound to transcend borders created by humanity and therefore,
global, rather than local solutions are necessary. While different nations have
adopted varied approaches to deal with this crisis - some choosing to transfer the
blame, others are garnering partners to fight the crisis.

(b) Inclusivity. The fact that the virus does not discriminate between the
arrogant divisions of race, nationality, ethnicity, economic status and politics,
brings to fore the importance of inclusivity in growth of all kind. Today, rich or poor,
all stand equally affected by the poor national health infrastructure and our
inabilities to cope with this pandemic. The forced lockdown is not only humbling
but also bringing to fore the importance of many neglected socio-welfare issues –
importance of family, pollution, simple living etc.

(c) Relevance of Experts and Trusted Information. In crisis like these, one
notices that the common discourse of scheming politics, narrow mindedness and
hate are replaced by informed debates and scholarly opinion of experts. That’s
why, instead of politicians hogging the show, scientists and knowledge leaders are
solicited by TV stations today for their opinions making room for genuine experts to
voice their views from which ordinary laypersons can benefit. Coronavirus tells us
with deadly certainty that the world is one and health for all is truly more valuable
than pursuing individual wealth, which is what world leaders have been doing most
of the time. Another side of the same coin is abundance of misinformation and our
ability to sift the same from credible, useful information.
Leadership Qualities in Crises

4. An analysis of the above points provides the logical framework for governance in
globally relevant, future ready nations aspiring for leadership role in the future.
However, one would agree that even an ideal governance framework would prove to be
inadequate without competent, resolute, empathetic and dynamic leadership. From Xi
Jinping, Trump, Johnson and Shinzo Abe, Angela Merkel and Giuseppe Conte of the
developed world to Lee Hsien Loong, Moon Jae-in, Hassan Rouhani, Modi or Sheikh
Hasina of the developing nations, the globe has seen a range of differing responses.
While it is too early to be judgmental, one there is no denying that crises of such
magnitude place extraordinary demands on leaders. The following qualities are required
to be followed by a world leader to effectively lead during crises like COVID 19:-

(a) Situational Awareness & Foresight. Perhaps the first step for any leader is
to discern such a disaster. If one compares the way Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore
and Moon Jae-in of South Korea responded to the warning signals emerging from
China vis-a-vis the response by Donald Trump, it gives an idea how early
recognition helps leaders overcome the normalcy bias, which can cause them to
underestimate both the possibility of a crisis and the impact that it could have.
Once this is done they can effectively respond. During a crisis, which is ruled by
unfamiliarity and uncertainty, effective responses are largely improvised. A
graduated response, factoring inputs from others’ experience and tailor made to
meet unique domestic socio-economic and infrastructural challenges is an apt
example. Foresight is the key.

(b) Organise & Lead Decisively. Correct decision making in crises is the key
and perhaps the single most stressful factor for the leader. Therefore it is
extremely important to organize correctly and delegate. The best methodology is
to organize into one Core Team supported by various external teams of Experts
and Executors who constantly update the Core Team and the leader. Delegation
of authority and decision making to the right people at grassroots level is of
paramount importance. Mistakes are very likely and must be catered for, to an
extent with adequate corrective mechanism. Initially, the powers may be
centralized and as the response progresses, delegation should be liberal. This
would help, the leader to detach himself from routine activities to focus on
anticipating the bigger picture. Once requisite inputs are available, a leader must
act boldly and be willing to re-assess & change course if mistakes are made.
Directive style of command should be the order of day (Decentralise)

(c) Continuosly Asess & Reframe. A rapidly evolving crisis, such as the one
being faced today, truly tests the decision making skills of a leader. If you are too
quick to make a decision, you might be basing the decision on incorrect or
inadequate information; by the same token, waiting for the perfect set of data can
lead to analysis paralysis and slow decision-making or no decisions being made at
all. Therefore, it becomes essential to frequently pause, assess the situation from
multiple vantage points, anticipate what may happen next, and then act. For this, a
leader would need to rely on experts and data analysts duly aided by technology.
The pause-assess-anticipate-act cycle should be ongoing, as it helps a leader to
maintain a state of deliberate calm and avoid overreacting to new information. It is
equally important to remain flexible and discard initial assessments, if so required.

(d) Actively Communicate & Transparent. Leaders must actively communicate

internally and externally to not only inspire confidence but also build credibilty
through transparency. In their enthusiasm to sound reassuring, sometimes leaders
tend to go wrong in presenting a falsely positive outcome – this may lead to loss of
credibility. Conversely, for want of enough positive news, they may chose to
remain quite for long periods. Both situations should be best avoided.
Transparency is job one for leaders in a crisis. Be clear what you know, what you
don’t know, and what you are doing to learn more. Thoughtful, frequent
communication shows that leaders are following the situation and adjusting their
responses as they learn more. This helps them reassure stakeholders that they
are confronting the crisis. To highlight this further, In this context, frequent flip flops
by President Trump and confident clear communications by Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong of Singapore are studies in contrast.

(e) Empathy. There is no doubt that crises of such magnitude require hard
decisions. In addition to the massive health toll, the pandemic has had massive
second order effects. World Markets have tanked wiping out millions of dollars of
investor wealth, rendered thousands jobless, displaced millions of people and
caused numerous hardships by imposing travel bans and many other restrictions.
The daily wage workers and people below poverty line are suffering the most. In
 such circumstances, leaders must come across as empathetic and sympathetic,
not only in words but also in action. A vital aspect of crisis leadership also involves
reaching out, asking the right questions and responding to the sentiments of the
people most affected. Prime Minister Modi’s apology to the people of India
regarding the harsh decision of imposing the lockdown followed by subsequent
orders to the enforcing authorities represent this essential aspect of a leader’s
personality.

(f) Change Management. Change leadership is also more about the urgency
for getting everyone in the organization to want to make something happen. It is
too easy to get comfortable with the status quo and to resist. It is impossible to
ensure that everything happens in an expected or desired way at a time that is
wanted. For leaders, COVID-19 must be seen as a change that ushers something
new, exciting, and challenging for the organization as a whole and is not
aggrandized virtue of self-worth. Leaders should adapt to change and should be
able to get changes if situation so demands.

(g) Agility & Clarity. Leaders will have to be agile, in changing not only
strategies and operational design but also their own leadership styles. A
participative style of leadership, where decisions are made through consensus and
based on relationships, may be best. At this point, leaders should know that they
need to communicate with all stakeholders during a crisis. Leaders will have to
communicate with promptness and clearly to be ahead of potential issues rather
than having to counter misinformation.

(h) Inspire resolve, enthuse people to move and to make the desired outcomes
real and relevant. Lead from the front.

(j) Perseverance, Foster and encourage determination and persistence to

achieve ongoing change and to mitigate crisis situation.

Conclusion
5. It is imperative that leaders learn to respond to crises as ‘Life Cycles’ and not
‘Events’. This can only happen when leaders organize themselves better by learning
from their experiences of the past. Leaders also must be willing to intelligently apply
lessons from the previous stage to plans and operations that support the next stage as
we move from preparation to response to recovery in our cyclic response to such crisis.
For this governments and elected heads must assume leadership roles as it is very
likely that the public would fall back on Big Governance, once we emerge from this
crisis.