Leadership Lessons I Learned from Hurricanes Harvey & Irma

Even in the midst of the catastrophic events of the past few weeks, we as leaders can learn a lot about leadership. The following are 12 leadership lessons I have thought about as I watched and read about these devastating storms.

1. Crisis management planning is important but things seldom go as planned.

2. Leaders can reduce group anxiety by being visible, taking action and communicating hope.

3. In a major crisis, few leaders make perfect decisions.

4. It is during extremely difficult times that invisible leaders often emerge. (This can be a career turning point.)

5. As a leader, expect to be second-guessed because you will be - and often.

6. Sometimes leaders need to take action first and worry about permission later.

7. Exceptional leaders don't look for or need to get the credit.

8. As a leader, you really cannot over-communicate during a crisis (or any other time).

9. Leadership really is as simple as having a positive influence in the lives of others.

10. Catastrophic events can and will confront us and define us as leaders.

11. When a leader seeks input from others, it will usually result in better decisions.

12. In difficult times, leaders must act even when they feel overwhelmed and inadequate.

Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.