Preparing Young Leaders to Lead in a Crisis

Introduction

Leadership in times of crisis requires more than just technical expertise—it demands emotional strength, strategic foresight, and the ability to inspire confidence in others. Many emerging leaders, have never faced a major crisis before. How can they be equipped to handle high-pressure situations effectively? Drawing insights from John Maxwell’s books, this blog outlines key coaching principles to help young leaders develop the skills and mindset necessary for crisis leadership.

Developing Emotional Capacity

John Maxwell, in High Road Leadership, emphasizes the importance of emotional resilience. Leaders who handle challenges with grace can navigate crises more effectively. To build emotional capacity, leaders should:

• Take Responsibility for Their Attitude: Leaders should avoid a victim mindset and instead focus on proactive solutions.

• Prioritize Action: Addressing issues head-on prevents negative emotions from taking control.

• Practice Gratitude: Recognizing the positives even in tough times fosters resilience.

• Let Go of the Past: Learning from failures without dwelling on them allows leaders to move forward.

• Put Others' Opinions in Perspective: A leader must balance feedback without being overly influenced by external judgments.

• Embrace Discomfort: The ability to step into uncertainty and act decisively is key to crisis leadership.

• Expand Capacity to Prevent Burnout: Leaders should continuously develop their abilities so their responsibilities never outweigh their capacity.

• Prioritize Self-Care: Mental, physical, relational, and spiritual well-being contribute to effective leadership.

Proactive Leadership: Planning Ahead

Maxwell’s Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 stresses the importance of preparation. Instead of reacting to crises, proactive leaders:

• Anticipate Problems and identify potential challenges before they arise.

• Use the Pareto Principle and the Three R’s to prioritize effectively.

• Follow the P.L.A.N. A.H.E.A.D. Framework to guide decision-making and implementation.

  • Predetermine the Change that is Needed

  • Lay Out Your Steps

  • Adjust Your Priorities

  • Notify Key People

  • Allow Time for Acceptance

  • Expect Problems

  • Always Point to the Successes - People need time to focus on what is really changing rather than on their fears of moving forward.

  • Daily Review Your Progress

• Ask the Right Questions to gain clarity on issues and engage the right stakeholders.

Problem-Solving in Crisis Situations

Crisis leaders must be skilled problem-solvers. Some key questions they should ask include:

• Who has the best insight into this problem?

• What are possible causes and solutions?

• What is the impact on the team and organization?

• What resources are needed to resolve it?

• How can we turn this challenge into a learning opportunity?

Distinguishing Yourself in Tough Times

Maxwell’s Leadership Gold highlights that great leaders stand out in difficult times. Leaders should reflect on past tough decisions to extract key lessons. Some powerful reflection questions include:

• What were the most difficult decisions I have made professionally and personally?

• What did they cost me, and why were they the right decisions at the time?

• What leadership insights did I gain from them?

Conclusion

Leadership during crises is a defining moment for any leader. By developing emotional capacity, planning proactively, and mastering problem-solving, young leaders can prepare themselves to lead effectively when challenges arise. Coaching emerging leaders through these principles will help them cultivate confidence and resilience in the face of uncertainty.