For the past few weeks, we’ve all witnessed Russia’s horrific attacks on Ukraine and its people. And at the same time, we’ve been awe-struck by Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and his relentless demonstration of what a strong and courageous leader looks like.
While the crises executives face may look different than the crises playing out in Ukraine, there’s no doubt that every executive can learn a lesson or two from following Zelensky’s lead. Here are just a few traits we are seeing exhibited by Zelensky as the Ukraine-Russia conflict plays out and the impact it is having.
1. Passionate Conviction
In all that we’ve seen of Zelensky, one thing is clear: he is passionate about Ukraine’s sovereignty and believes in protecting it at all costs. His conviction magnetizes and catalyzes everyone fighting for its independence.
Similarly, when executives want buy-in for their initiatives throughout the organization, maintaining a strong and passionate conviction is essential. After all, who’s going to follow a leader who doesn’t demonstrate they care about the cause themselves?
2. Clear and Honest Communication
Even before Russia invaded Ukraine, President Zelensky had a track record of openly communicating with Ukrainian citizens. He’s had to deliver a lot of bad news to Ukrainians the past few weeks, yet every time he’s shared an update, he has been direct, honest and clear in what their mission is. And he’s done it using easily-accessible platforms like social media to get his message out there. This transparent and accessible communication builds trust and confidence. It ensures that he is in control of the narrative and prevents people from suffering the stress that comes from ambiguity and disconnection.
Honest and clear communication is an attribute that the best company leaders also demonstrate. Whether it’s delivering tough news to employees or sharing a disappointing quarter with shareholders, communicating that information in a clear and honest way makes all the difference. In fact, a 15Five survey showed that 81 percent of employees would rather join an organization that values “open communication” than one that offers other perks like top health plans, free food and gym memberships. This illustrates the importance of honest and transparent communication to the success of an organization.
3. A Calm Presence in the Storm
Employees look to company leaders for guidance, especially during a crisis. Weak leaders tend to vacillate under pressure while the strongest are grounded and unwavering in their commitment and energy. In stability, these leaders are the glue that holds everyone together. They exude an executive presence that is calm yet powerful, and that is exactly what Zelensky has demonstrated. Despite how bad the news is, he has continuously shown composure and stayed steady throughout this conflict. In doing so, his presence has rallied Ukrainians together and boosted morale to keep things going when things have looked bleak. It’s truly powerful.
Executives can also utilize a powerful presence to magnify their influence and align people and action with their agenda and mission. Whether it’s direct reports, the company’s board, shareholders or any other group, when executives exude a strong, calm presence in their routine interactions, people feel confident, loyalty builds, conviction strengthens and transformational success is possible.
4. Role Modeling
Perhaps one of the most powerful leadership lessons Zelensky has demonstrated these past few weeks has been how he has walked his talk everyday, especially the bad days. When foreign leaders offered to help him and his family leave the country safely, Zelensky said, “I need ammunition, not a ride.” He’s showing the world that he is in this fight with everyone else in Ukraine and leading by example. It communicates that he is a leader who is trustworthy. He means what he says and and his sincerity and reliability have served to strengthen commitment and trust amongst Ukrainian soldiers, civilians and allies.
As an executive, it is essential to be trustworthy and to lead by example. When leaders are poor role models, trust diminishes and unreliable/inauthentic behaviors increase and become pervasive within an organization. Low trust leads to a weak culture which results in low productivity, a lack of innovation and a lot of attrition. On the other hand, leading by example demonstrates a commitment to work together and to win together.
5. Sheer GRIT
President Zelensky is the personification of GRIT. Grit is a constellation of personal characteristics that define a successful attitude. With grit, people make the impossible possible. In Zelensky’s case…
- He has a growth mindset and has decided that Ukraine can do really hard things.
- Roadblock after literal roadblock, Zelenski stays resilient to the cause and focuses on productivity.
- He continually takes initiative, pleading his country’s case and executive the necessary steps to fight and win.
- As the weeks wear on and the pressure builds, Zelensky is tenacious and he keeps going. His perseverance serves to maintain stability and optimism, and in doing so he rallys support, commitment and unity that extends beyond the borders of his country.
Zelenski possesses the attributes of a gritty leader – traits that every executive needs to cultivate so that they can be drawn on when the crisis comes.
President Zelensky has shown incredible bravery, courage and intelligence, even as his cities are reduced to rubble. He has shown the world a portrait of an exceptional leader and we will continue to see his impact in the world. While we may not find ourselves leading a war effort, we can be inspired to lead with the same gusto and grit we are seeing in Ukraine. We can learn from the good and the bad, and apply the best to our own everyday leadership.
If you’re curious how you might bear up under crisis, our GRIT assessment is a great way to begin exploring your own leadership fortitude. Click here to take the assessment and see how our executive coaching can expand you or your executives’ leadership capability to confidently lead organizations through the peaks and valleys of life and leadership.
