Every now and then organizations go through great turmoil, crisis and/or change. Perhaps a major funding source has just notified your organization that it won't be receiving a large grant you were counting on, or a government agency refuses the continuation of a contract, or the CEO of 15 years announces she is leaving the organization, or a staff member runs off with $250,000 and the media is all over it. Leading an organization during these times requires great skill, patience, and finesse.

Leaders are judged in times of adversity and change not in times of success. In the face of turmoil and change we tend to look for leaders that are simultaneously strong and compassionate. It seems like we have to go through a crisis every once in a while to allow our true leadership qualities to come to the surface.

Let's look at some of the competencies and skills that are required to steer the ship through the waters of transition and change:

1. Catalyzing people around change. Change happens whether we like it or not, and it is the leader's responsibility to galvanize others to understand and embrace the process and dynamics of change.
2. Effective leadership is about recognizing the personal and emotional difficulties people have with change. Even social change organizations don't like change! It is important to realize that the leader's role is to keep the team together.
3. Being tough but empathetic is about making difficult decisions while listening to and involving the organization's staff and volunteers.
4. The concept of urgency without crisis is critical to gain the confidence of your staff. I used to make the mistake of telling my staff immediately when we were turned down for a major grant. Now, I hold off telling the staff until I can discuss with them the strategy for moving ahead so they are not feeling as if the organization is on the brink of closing up shop.
5. A sense of optimism is critical. I thought the world would crash down on me when I was a teenager and I asked a girl out and she turned me down. Having a sense of history and realizing that the sun will rise tomorrow and that we need to believe in ourselves and the people around us is very important.
6. Trusting others is at the core of having faith in your staff and believing that they want the same thing out of the transition as you do. It also means being open to input from people around you so you don't have to make all of the decisions by yourself.
7. The buck stops with the executive director. The CEO/executive director will eventually be called upon to make very difficult decisions, therefore s/he must be able to be decisive during times of transition. There are some decisions that only this leader can make for the organization.
8. Realism is important during these times. It's clear that during transition we need to take off our "rose colored glasses" and look at the world as it is rather than as we want it to be. Sometimes we need to make quick decisions that are not in the best interests of certain individuals, but ARE in the best interest of the organization. Ultimately, it is the organization rather than the individuals that we are mandated to change.
9. Risk is part of the process of change and transition. We need to be able to risk and take chances within reason to steer through troubled times. We have to be open to try new approaches, to learn new things, and to feel comfortable "being on the edge and ledge." Sometimes it is on the ledge where growth really takes place.
10. Trusting your instincts is one of the most sacred qualities during volatile times. After we have talked with our board, staff and other advisors to help us deal with a crisis situation, ultimately it comes down to "what we feel is right."