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Want to manage and lead through crisis? Let history, and these questions, be your guide

Chaos was widespread in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and government responders struggled to provide crucial services to scores of people in dire need.  

When Adm. Thad Allen, the Coast Guard chief of staff who subsequently became the agency’s commandant, took over the response effort, he aimed to bring much-needed direction to the people serving there, gathering more than 2,000 staff together in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

“I was giving them a firm, direct order, and said, ‘you’re to treat anyone you come in contact with that’s been affected by this storm as if they were a member of your own family, as if they were your brother, mother, father or sister.’ If you err on the side of doing too much and somebody has a problem with what you did, their problem is not with you, it’s with me because I gave you the order.”  

In short, Allen managed and led. 

He gave people a framework to guide their actions, and they were now empowered to make decisions, get people what they need, and do the right thing for individuals and families without second-guessing themselves.  

Allen also communicated the why, inspiring his staff to serve and buoying them by having their back and letting them know how important their contributions were.

Managing and leading  

Federal leaders serve in many roles, yet all are called upon to manage and lead day to day.  

They help manage their teams and projects by setting priorities, keeping in compliance and meeting deadlines, and they lead by motivating people and building cultures of inclusivity and excellence.  

James Colvard, former deputy director of the Office of Personnel Management, makes this important distinction: “A manager deals with complexity; a leader deals with uncertainty.” Take a step back and ask, “What does my team need from me today?” More specifically, consider: 

• How can I help my team navigate challenging tasks? 

• What can I do to help my team move forward amid uncertainty? 

• How can I help my team align with agency mission and values? 

• How might I lift my team’s spirits and motivate them to higher levels of engagement? 

• How can I help manage workloads and create more efficient processes to strengthen team efforts? 

• How might I help clear the way for them to perform? 

History is loaded with well-known examples of people who managed and led. In 1939, opera singer Marian Anderson was barred from performing at Constitution Hall because of her race. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt saw this episode as an opportunity to make a stand on principle and formally resigned her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution, which manages the hall. In her resignation letter she noted, “you had an opportunity to lead in an enlightened way.” She then used her influence to help organize an alternative concert for Anderson at the Lincoln Memorial. 

How can you—aligned with your role and values—lead in a more enlightened way? And what steps can you take to empower your team to move forward with a current priority? 

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