Today’s leaders are increasingly called upon to address issues do not neatly fit within the boundaries of their organizations. In times of economic and social turbulence, effective leaders recognize the importance of acknowledging emotions. This month, we’re excited to share with you a recent HBR article by our Managing Partner, Jennifer Porter, which explores the unique requirements of strong leadership during challenging times.
The Boda Team
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Being a Good Boss in Dark Times
Jennifer Porter
This article originally appeared on HBR.org
Senseless acts of violence affect all of us. Mass shootings, suicide bombers, assassinations-the emotions such events bring up are strong, even if our personal connection to the events themselves is not. Feelings of sadness, pain, confusion, and anger don’t get checked at the office door. If you’re leading a team or an organization, how can you help manage the emotional culture of the people you’re responsible for?
I had an opportunity to explore that a few days ago when I spoke with a Derek, the COO of a large, publicly traded company based in the Midwest, the day after yet another tragedy. We spent the first ten minutes talking about his trip to some of their European offices the prior week and some questions he was thinking about. At a pause, I asked him how he was reacting to the latest tragedy. Derek talked about when he heard, how his family reacted, and how terrible it was. I asked him what it meant for him as a leader and he paused. He wasn’t sure …