Leading through Crisis – Why Context Matters! Barbara Kellerman, Author and Lecturer at Harvard

This time Sebastian Morgner is joined by acclaimed author,
Harvard Professor and thought leader Barbara Kellerman. This
episode of the FLI Podcast concerns itself first and foremost
with the issue of leadership, its different aspects and the
subsequent implications for managers and officials around the
globe. 


After a quick exchange regarding the overall adjustments in work
and private life, that have been consequent to the Covid-19
outbreak, the conversation touches on the issue of government
behaviour. In that context, Prof. Kellerman points out the
dilemma that leaders must face right now: on the one hand, there
is the health risk imposed by the virus itself, on the other hand
there is the issue of economic downturn as a result of trying to
prevent the former. This complex balance is what managers and
government officials have to master in order to reduce the
overall level of ambiguity.


Barbara Kellerman points out that a leadership system always
consists of three elements: the leader, the followers and the
context the interact. Asked if she thinks the virus will change
how we as a society go about handling difficult situations, Prof.
Kellerman is not only optimistic. She beliefs that mankind is not
made to act proactively based on insight, especially if one is
not yet directly affected by the matter of concern. Adding to
this, she explains how the virus has, at least in the short term,
rather been promoting nationalism than unity.


Thereafter, the conversation turns towards the heavily discussed
issue of the WHO. In this, Prof. Kellerman holds the opinion,
that while the organisation may not be perfect, having a global
institution in place nevertheless is paramount to our world
community. Closely related to this, they also touch upon the
conspiracy theory that has risen around Bill Gates and his role
in battling the Covid-19 outbreak as well as the general bashing
of public leaders in our modern-day society. Barbara Kellerman is
concerned about the increasing lack of respect for important
leadership positions driven by social media. Respect towards a
public office or authority is on one hand needed to attract
decent and qualified people to take over responsibility, on the
other hand to create trust and followership in times of crisis.


To conclude the podcast, Prof. Kellerman reflects on how the
pandemic has already changed our contextual perception of what is
the status quo and how this might change our shared ways of
behaviour especially at the workplace.