Leadership in Difficult Times!

The older I get the more I understand what I don't know. However, what I am more and more convinced about is that leadership is a critical factor, especially in difficult times.
Things worth emphasising are:

- Vision. Gifted teams look beyond the current situation and sees the future and their place in it. The key then is to constantly ensure that your team stays focused on that vision and the difference they can make.

- Direction-setting. Effective teams plan carefully but they do not 'overplan'; they maintain the course without unnecessarily carving out the details in stone. Great teams always need to be flexible, to be able to refine and refocus as necessary and keep their options open. 

- Emotional Intelligence. Great teams share, network and learn together. They need to have strong emotional intelligence recognising that everybody has personal strengths and weaknesses. It is important to select team members with a very good understanding of their own limitations so they know when to back their own judgement and when to seek help and support.
Chris