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Salon Series on Leadership in Times of Crisis

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Salon Series on Leadership in Times of Crisis Salon Series on Leadership in Times of Crisis Carol O’Connell ’69, Fran Engoron ’70 and Susan Magill ‘72 LEADERSHIP IN TIMES OF CRISIS: A SERIES OF ESSAYS Introduction (Image description: 14 of the first 24 women to enroll at William & Mary in 1918)1 The entry of women into William & Mary in 1918 was born from two crises: World War I and the Spanish Flu pandemic. The College's very survival was based on replacing the men lost in these two tragedies with a new flow of students, so the College reluctantly admitted women for the first time. And because of the pandemic, after a single day of classes, the women were quarantined from the men which had two positive results: the women bonded among themselves and the men grew increasingly curious about their new classmates. As they say, the rest is history! This anthology or series of essays addresses key aspects of Leadership in Times of Crisis. Each essay can be read as a stand- alone piece but we also encourage reading all of these short pieces to gain more insight. We have endeavored to provide examples, including outstanding women leaders who have exhibited exemplary leadership. And since W&M has a long tradition of strong women and women leaders, we have chosen to end the series with an essay about the current pandemic crisis and how President Katherine Rowe and her team have demonstrated their leadership skills at this critical time in the College's history. We have also included the early response of President Rowe to the late May and early June social and racial justice crisis. In our research, we uncovered a few interesting observations specific to women and crisis leadership. The first was a recent discussion by Madeleine Albright on why she believes women are so adept at leading in crisis, based on their life experiences as women. Secretary Albright cites the following: women leaders are very good at multi-tasking, decisiveness, learning and adapting, telling hard truths, and have the relational skills to manage and influence people. We also found significant literature that women are often thrust into crises that men believe are unwinnable - the "glass cliff" - and women more than men are willing to take on these "lost causes" often achieving success but sometimes failing and damaging their careers. Our essays cover the following topics. Please enjoy and add your own observations about leading in times of crisis and the women you admire for their success in meeting these challenges. The Role of Leader and Organizational Values and Culture Leadership and Organizing for Action The Importance of Communications and Leadership Role Modeling Innovation, Expertise, Collaboration, and Decisiveness Key to Leadership in a Crisis The Power of Women Acting Collectively to Catalyze Change William & Mary in the Current Crises As a reader, you may want to ask yourself the following questions: • What are my personal experiences in managing crisis-what would I add to these essays? • What are the best examples of crisis management I have observed in others? • If I could give three pieces of advice to others, what would they be? 1 https://www.wm.edu/sites/100yearsofwomen/anniversary-story/index.php Salon Series on Leadership in Her background also gave her Times of Crisis credibility with the electorate. A Carol O’Connell ’69, Fran Engoron ’70 and recent NY Times article touting her crisis leadership, said “Beyond Susan Magill ‘72 politics, economics and science lie qualities of character that can’t be faked, chiefly compassion, which examples of value-based The Role of Leader and may be the most important in leadership. Mayor Muriel Bowser Organizational Values and reassuring a frightened, insecure of Washington, DC has worked Culture and stricken population. Ms. diligently to protect the rights of Merkel is arguably among the least Leading during a crisis tests an peaceful protestors in a city with flashy, charismatic or eloquent of individual’s and an organization’s unusually high political tensions. Europe’s leaders, but nobody fidelity to core values. We would Through negotiation and taking would ever question her decency.” observe that those leaders who are strong values-based symbolic most effective during a crisis are stands, she has affirmed freedom faithful to a strong personal and of speech and assembly while professional value system. First, taking an appropriately tough are those values already in place? stance on violent protest or The strongest leaders come to the looting. Mitt Romney was also table with a robust personal value proudly seen marching with system that draws clear lines protestors in Washington, between what is obviously right affirming his commitment to those and wrong, as well as where the same values. And there have been grey areas are. Moreover, these many local police officers who leaders are known to lead lives of have demonstrated their values by principled achievement in marching or dialoguing with business and in life. They are protestors. (Image description, Ursula Burns, Former better prepared to deal with Xerox Chairman and CEO)4 ambiguity because they can Ursula Burns served as chairman discern what actions are obvious and CEO of Xerox from 2009 - and which require more data, 2017. She led a workforce of over debate and thoughtful decision- 140,000 employees and served making. And, their consistent more than 160 client companies. living of their values gives their Ms. Burns is known as being the stakeholders and teams confidence first African-American woman to and trust in their judgment. (Image description: Tim Ryan, US Chairman and Senior Partner of PwC)2 serve as head of a Fortune 500 Organizational values inform both company. She rose through the the culture and decision-making Another recent example is Tim technical ranks of Xerox and led under pressure. They guide the Ryan, US Chairman and Senior the company with a highly leadership team to make good, Partner of PwC. Ryan urged other authentic and pragmatic personal thoughtful decisions that are CEOs at the beginning of the style grounded in deep values. consistent with those values and pandemic to put their people first, “Being bold, outspoken and down that recognize the impact on each arguing that he and his partners to earth is typical Burns.” When stakeholder. had chosen to do the right thing by Burns took up the helm of Xerox in PwC’s people despite the impact early 2009, she undertook the on profitability. And he argued for colossal task of turning around a taking the long view, recognizing company that was losing its mojo. that fidelity to that value would Having invented many of ensure success long after the technologies that we use today, COVID-19 crisis has passed. like graphical user interface that Ryan’s decision was supported by were bought by Apple and other a strong organizational culture of (Image description: Margaret Thatcher, tech companies, Xerox had not former Chancellor of William & Mary)1 “people first”. This view was itself leveraged those technologies echoed by many US corporate to its advantage, Xerox had even Margaret Thatcher was Prime leaders but not all. lost its dominance in the core Minister of the UK for 11 years (as copier business. Back in 2001, she well as Chancellor of William & had been part of a small group of Mary). Thatcher, the Iron Lady, executives who had saved the was known and respected for her company from bankruptcy and consistent values that included pushed for diversification, decisiveness during crisis particularly in business processing moments, dedication to the services. As the company’s CEO, sovereignty of the United Kingdom she had the opportunity to as a great power and a implement these ideas at full scale. commitment to the liberal world Ms. Burns championed diversity order against Soviet Russia. These from the Boardroom to the shop values guided her actions in a floor and has continued that number of crises including the (Image description: Angela Merkel, Prime mission since her retirement from Falklands War, the Iranian Minister of Germany)3 Xerox. And as one of the most Embassy siege, the Solidarity successful female engineers in the freedom movement in Poland and Another current example of crisis history of US manufacturing, Burns collaboration with Ronald Reagan leadership is Angela Merkel, the is determined to change the male to defeat communism. Prime Minister of Germany. Ms. engineering culture by promoting Merkel’s culture and value system the merits of STEM education, The current crisis in social and as a scientist encouraged her to particularly for women. racial justice calls to mind many seek the facts and then act quickly. Katherine Graham became As a leader, you can ask right now President and de facto publisher of what are my personal values that The Washington Post in 1963 will enable me to lead in a crisis? following her husband’s death and Do others recognize I have those followed a long line of her family values? How can I tangibly in the paper’s life. She became the demonstrate those values? Are my first female Fortune 500 CEO in values and decisions also 1972. Ms. Graham clarified her consistent with the stated and views about freedom and the lived values of my organization? responsibility of the press vs. How will those values impact my government secrecy in a 1988 leadership team’s decision-making speech to a packed auditorium at in a crisis? the CIA headquarters. Graham said: "We live in a dirty and dangerous world. There are some things the general public does not need to know, and shouldn't. I believe democracy flourishes when the government can take legitimate steps to keep its secrets and when the press can decide whether to print what it knows.” She lived those values especially during the Watergate era and Pentagon Papers investigation, where she backed her editorial staff in publishing highly damaging information to the federal government and its officials.
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