T. Garland Stansell, APR, on Leading During a Global Crisis

Executives around the globe are facing a daunting task: continuing to lead their teams and organizations during the COVID-19 crisis.

From economic uncertainty to anxiety and disruptions to daily life, there are many immediate and potentially existential issues for an organization and its leadership. 

Meanwhile, the need for continuity in these unnerving times falls on the shoulders of an organization’s leaders, who are now navigating operational upheaval and changing financial outlooks.

T. Garland Stansell, APR, PRSA’s 2020 chair, shared leadership counsel with Strategies & Tactics Editor-in-Chief John Elsasser in a recent PRsay post.

“Leaders should be trying to put themselves in the shoes of others to consider how the current situation might be affecting them,” says Stansell, chief communications officer for Children’s of Alabama, the pediatric health system based in Birmingham. “What does this pandemic and the resulting interruptions mean to my team, my company, those we serve and our community — and how can we move forward?”

Considering the implications for each will help inform strategy on how to communicate with each of these various constituencies, and also identify what infrastructure and supporting resources are needed to help provide reassurance in this stressful time.

Visit PRsay.prsa.org to read the full article and for more leadership counsel from Stansell.