Idea in Brief

The Problem

Facing a crisis or an opportunity, leaders often fall back on the leadership style that has worked for them in the past. But to be effective, they need to rise above their default reactions and generate more options for how to respond in real time.

A New Model

In this article two leadership coaches offer an approach, called the “four stances,” to help leaders generate options for interpersonal communication.

The Process

Leaders should identify which stance is their default, make a plan for using alternative ones in various situations, and be ready to pivot if an approach is not working.

Ask leaders how they will respond to a crisis or a massive new opportunity, and they often will tell you they already know what to do. This is surprising because most crises and opportunities have unexpected elements. A high-powered executive whom we coach once told us, “In any crisis, I come out of the gate fast and take action. I go over, under, or through any wall in my way. With my people, I lead from the front.” To be sure, that approach has the benefit of decisiveness, but it offers a narrow path, especially in high-stakes situations. What happens when such leaders run into obstacles they can’t muscle their way through?
A version of this article appeared in the January–February 2023 issue of Harvard Business Review.
Read more on Leadership styles or related topics Interpersonal communication, Managing people, Crisis communication, Leadership qualities, Psychology and Leadership