Overview
This public health leadership article outlines five essential qualities for leading effectively during a crisis: transparency, adaptability, decisiveness, accessibility, and positivity. Relevant to public health officials, government leaders, and healthcare administrators, it offers practical, values-driven guidance for managing uncertainty and maintaining public trust.
Introduction
There is no ironclad rulebook on how to lead during a public health crisis. Sure, leaders can look at past examples, but each new crisis brings unique circumstances and uncertainties. Even the best public health leaders can question their qualifications and preparedness during a crisis.
Such crises are equally taxing for government and health organisation personnel across all sectors, as well as the general public. This challenges public health leaders who must lead their peers while also protecting everyday people from all walks of life. Of course, these leaders aren’t alone, and they must trust everyone around them to work toward a common goal.
Meeting this common goal is much easier when a leader sets a strong example and is willing to adapt at every turn. Follow along as we highlight what it takes to lead during a public health crisis.
Transparency
Uncertainty is largely unavoidable during a public health crisis, and it can make matters worse. This uncertainty can drive a wedge between the public and the leaders they’re supposed to trust. Some leaders fear transparency when they can only offer so many answers.
However, answers don’t always come quickly during public health crises. Instead of telling the public you have everything under control, leaders must own up to the uncertainty. Of course, it’s also important to provide updates as they arise, so the public feels like their peace of mind is valued.
This is much easier when leaders utilise all available public outlets, including news stations, radio programs, and social media. Providing frequent updates can help ease uncertainties and foster trust in leaders, even when the answers aren’t positive. Credibility and transparency go hand in hand, and you can’t have one without the other.
Adaptability
Things can change each hour during a public health crisis, which is equally stressful for leaders and the public. Public health leaders must be ready and willing to adapt to each new development, no matter where it comes from within the structure. This requires an “all hands on deck” approach, where great ideas and discoveries can come from anywhere.
Of course, hierarchy still applies, but public health leaders must be willing to hear and adapt to great ideas at every level. The hierarchical politics in public health organisations can grind discoveries and development to a halt. Public health officials must instead look at data as soon as it arrives and adapt accordingly.
New developments and data can come from any department, and leaders must eliminate any roadblocks that would stop them from coming to light. Otherwise, there’s a risk that key data may not reach the leader in time due to communication gaps and structural barriers. This adaptability is also essential across all relevant government agencies and sectors to ensure everyone can work toward the same goal using the same information.
Decisiveness
Public health leaders need many key skills, but decisiveness is arguably the most important. That’s especially true during a public health crisis, when your decisions can affect so many people. During a crisis, public health leaders face many options within a stressful, limited timeframe.
Of course, many outside factors can influence these possibilities, but strong leaders can’t necessarily view them all the same. Instead, public health leaders must make decisions based on evidence rather than public discourse and pressure. This is a tough position, as there’s always a chance you’ll disappoint and anger part of the public.
As a leader, you can’t worry about that, as the public’s safety is far more important than their opinion of you. This is where public leaders must let the data speak for them and make decisions accordingly. The ability to make tough decisions regardless of outside influence can save lives and prevent heartache.
Accessibility
Many people within health organisations and various government agencies look to leaders for answers during public health crises. After all, the people within these organisations have as much to worry about as the public does. Leaders owe it to their peers to make themselves as accessible as possible during such uncertain times.
One person can’t have all the answers, and strong leaders know that small developments from each corner of each sector can yield great results. Because of that, leaders must temporarily break down some of the walls and make themselves more accessible. That way, informational bottlenecks won’t form, which would otherwise stop key information from reaching leaders.
Everyone must know when and how to distribute new data and discoveries to achieve a mutual goal. It helps to release a statement throughout the organisation to explain new protocols to improve accessibility until the crisis ends. This can prevent delays and communication breakdowns that may prevent groundbreaking discoveries from coming to fruition.
Positivity
You could meet all the emergency management director requirements, but they won’t mean much if you have a bad attitude. It’s hard to stay positive during a public health crisis, but your mindset and attitude can set the tone for those around you. More importantly, a public health leader’s attitude can shape the public’s view on the ongoing crisis.
Public health crises can bring out lots of negativity and insecurity, but a strong leader can quell these concerns. Sure, you can’t flip a switch and change someone’s mind, but the example you set can at least shape others’ perspectives. Health leaders have the chance to give the public hope in a time when they may otherwise feel extreme anxiety.
Everything from a leader’s choice of words to their body language can rub off on people. Of course, maintaining this positivity behind the scenes is equally important, as leaders must also help their peers and subordinates stay positive.
Strong, Empathetic Leaders Can Make a Difference
More than anything, people want to feel heard and valued during a public health crisis. That includes everyone from the general public to hospital workers and government agency personnel. Strong, empathetic leaders can meet this need by accepting and considering all feedback, no matter where it comes from.
Decisiveness, empathy, and positivity are necessary traits needed to help people overcome stress and work toward a common goal. Above all, leaders must be transparent, foster trust, help their peers, and show the public that they value them.
