What’s Your Leadership Style During An Organizational Crisis?
Dr. Andriana Eliadis, Executive Education Facilitator & Coach at Cornell University, NY, USA and President at Executive Communication USA.
During organizational crises, leaders are tested not just for their strategies but also for their emotional intelligence. How a leader responds can make or break an organization. Six distinct emotional leadership styles—commanding, pacesetting, affiliative, democratic, visionary and coaching—each offer unique advantages during a crisis. Understanding these styles and their strengths and limitations is critical to effective crisis management.
Six Leadership Styles: A Personal Perspective
These six leadership styles uniquely impact organizations and their people. They are not mutually exclusive; influential leaders shift between them based on circumstances. Throughout my career, I have observed and applied these styles in various situations, offering valuable lessons.
Commanding Leadership: The Crisis Commander
The commanding style, often seen as authoritarian, demands immediate compliance. This approach can be vital in a crisis where rapid decision-making is crucial. I once worked with a manufacturing CEO facing sudden supply chain disruption. Swift, top-down decisions ensured that production continued without interruption. Commanding leadership was necessary and effective in this scenario.
However, this style has its limitations. While it can be effective in the short term, especially in high-stakes situations, overreliance can stifle creativity and morale—leaders who depend too heavily on this style risk alienating their teams once the crisis subsides. I often advise using this approach sparingly and transitioning to a more inclusive style once stability is restored.
Pacesetting Leadership: The High-Performance Driver
Pacesetting leaders set high standards and expect others to follow. This style can drive teams to perform at their best during a crisis. I coached a sales director who used the pacesetting style to lead her team through a challenging quarter, pushing them to exceed targets.
The downside of pacesetting is that it can lead to burnout if expectations are too high or there is insufficient support. Leaders must ensure their teams have the resources to meet these standards without compromising their well-being.
Affiliative Leadership: The Healer
The affiliative style emphasizes emotional bonds and team harmony. In a crisis, when stress is high and morale may be low, this style helps maintain cohesion and ensures employees feel supported. I have seen this approach work well during corporate restructuring, where prioritizing emotional well-being and trust helped teams navigate uncertainty.
Still, leaders should be cautious not to overrely on this style. While empathy is essential for maintaining morale, it must be balanced with decisiveness. Even when difficult decisions must be made, they should be communicated clearly, regardless of popularity.
Democratic Leadership: The Consensus-Builder
Democratic leaders seek input and build consensus through participation. This style can be invaluable in generating new ideas during a crisis and ensuring everyone feels included in the decision-making process. I observed a marketing project manager successfully use this approach to navigate a challenging client situation by involving the entire team in brainstorming solutions.
That said, democratic leadership has its limitations in urgent situations. Consensus-building can be time-consuming and lead to indecision when quick decisions are needed. Leaders should gauge the urgency and consider combining this style with a more directive approach when necessary.
Visionary Leadership: The Direction-Setter
Visionary leaders focus on setting a clear vision and inspiring others to follow. This approach is particularly effective during a crisis, providing direction and rallying the team around a common purpose. I worked with a tech industry vice president who faced a cybersecurity breach and used the opportunity to reinforce the company’s commitment to security and innovation. By communicating a clear vision, she motivated and engaged her team, transforming the crisis into a rallying point for collective action.
Visionary leadership can have a profoundly positive impact on organizational climate, fostering motivation and commitment during challenging times.
Coaching Leadership: The Mentor-Coach
Coaching leadership focuses on developing people for the future. While this style might seem less relevant in an immediate crisis, it’s crucial for long-term organizational resilience. I encourage leaders to incorporate coaching into their repertoire, even during challenging times. For instance, a nonprofit leader I worked with made time to mentor her team members during a funding crisis. This approach addressed immediate challenges and built a stronger, more capable team for the future.
In urgent situations, coaching may need to be complemented by more directive styles to ensure swift decisions are made and immediate challenges are addressed effectively.
Adapting Your Leadership Style In Crisis
No single leadership style is universally effective in every situation. The most successful leaders adapt their approach to the moment’s needs. I have seen leaders begin with a commanding style to establish order in a crisis, then shift to visionary leadership to set direction, and later adopt affiliative or coaching styles to rebuild morale and develop resilience.
Emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills—plays a critical role in this adaptive leadership process. Leaders with high emotional intelligence can assess situations accurately, understand their own and others’ emotions and choose the most appropriate leadership style. In my experience, leaders who excel in emotional intelligence are better equipped to navigate crises because they balance organizational needs with the well-being of their people.
Leadership As An Art
Navigating an organizational crisis is as much an art as a science. While strategies and frameworks are essential, the human element determines the outcome. Leaders who can flexibly move between styles, guided by emotional intelligence, are best positioned to lead their organizations effectively through crises.
Your ability to adapt these styles to your unique circumstances and team needs will ultimately determine your success as a leader. Reflect on your leadership style and consider how you might adapt it to different challenges. The ability to manage, inspire, heal and empower during a crisis distinguishes exceptional leaders from the rest.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
link