Podcast Title: Coaching Real Leaders
Episode: How Do I Get Out of Constant Crisis Mode?
Host: Muriel Wilkins, Harvard Business Review
Release Date: May 5, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Coaching Real Leaders, Muriel Wilkins delves into the intricate challenges faced by seasoned executives striving to ascend to the next level in their careers. The episode, titled "How Do I Get Out of Constant Crisis Mode?", features a candid coaching session with Margaret, a highly experienced executive who finds herself entangled in perpetual crises that hinder her strategic growth.

Guest Background

Margaret is an accomplished executive with over a decade of leadership experience across various companies. Recently, she embraced an overseas executive role driven by her passion for travel and alignment with the company's mission. However, the transition hasn't been smooth, bringing to light deep-seated challenges that many high-performing leaders encounter.

Initial Challenges

Upon joining her new organization, Margaret was immediately thrust into handling a significant crisis. Her tactical and operational prowess helped navigate the situation effectively, but just as she began to regain control and shift her focus toward strategic planning, another crisis emerged—her boss's unexpected departure. This sudden change forced Margaret into her superior's role, further compounding her responsibilities.

Margaret [03:36]: "I had 20 direct reports, which is not tenable at all. And I wasn't able to give them the attention that they needed. I just didn't have the bandwidth and the capacity."

This relentless cycle of crises left Margaret feeling overwhelmed and guilty for not being the leader she aspired to be.

Feeling Stuck

Despite successfully managing immediate issues, Margaret struggled to transition from reactive problem-solving to proactive strategic planning. She expressed fears of having lost her "superpowers" and questioned her professional peak.

Margaret [04:10]: "Am I past my peak? Did I expend all my superpowers? Am I just done?"

Her inability to move forward stemmed from a blend of exhaustion, persistent operational demands, and self-doubt, leading to what she described as a "writer's block" in her strategic endeavors.

Identifying 'Stars'

Muriel introduced the concept of "stars"—the conditions necessary for Margaret to break free from crisis mode and engage in long-term planning. Margaret identified several key elements:

1. Trustworthy Leadership Team: Building a team that both she and stakeholders trust is crucial.
2. Supportive Boss: Her boss's tactical focus was a significant barrier to strategic alignment.
3. Effective Communication: Regular and structured communication with her team was lacking.
4. Delegation Skills: Confidently delegating crises to her team members to free up her bandwidth.

Margaret [15:16]: "I need to be able to articulate what the actual risks are... We have to stop the crises from coming because everybody's just going to keep getting exhausted if we don't do it the right way."

Delegation and Trust

A significant portion of the conversation centered around Margaret's struggle with delegation. She recognized that her hesitancy to delegate effectively was perpetuating the crisis cycle.

Margaret [24:57]: "I need to start delegating so that somebody else can take this on."

Muriel emphasized the importance of distinguishing between what Margaret can control and what she cannot, encouraging her to delegate responsibilities that align with her team's strengths.

Redefining Success

Margaret acknowledged that her definition of success in this role differed from her previous positions. She likened her new strategic aspirations to shifting from "sprints" to running a "marathon," aiming for sustainable, long-term progress rather than constant reactive efforts.

Margaret [27:18]: "Nobody's actually getting to the finish line because we just keep these crises just keep coming."

This redefinition was pivotal in helping her realign her focus toward building a three to five-year strategy, ensuring her team's growth and the organization's resilience against future crises.

Overcoming Barriers

The coaching session explored practical steps for Margaret to overcome her obstacles:

• Protecting Time for Strategy: Allocating and safeguarding dedicated time on her calendar to work on strategic initiatives without interruptions.

  Margaret [22:31]: "I need to protect it and not let those crises interrupt that block time."

• Enhancing Communication: Developing a structured communication plan to keep her team informed and engaged regularly.

  Margaret [33:42]: "I need to pick the right people... give me the space, trust, time."

• Building Delegation Skills: Empowering her leadership team to handle crises, thereby reducing her direct involvement in every issue.

  Margaret [24:59]: "I need to tell them... Let them help you fix it instead."

Key Insights

Several profound insights emerged from the session:

1. Balance Between Tactical and Strategic Roles: Even experienced leaders can become ensnared in operational demands, underscoring the need for deliberate balance.
2. Importance of Delegation: Trusting and empowering team members is essential for sustainable leadership and freeing up capacity for strategic thinking.
3. Redefining Leadership Success: Success metrics should evolve with roles, focusing on long-term vision and team development rather than solely on crisis management.
4. Creating Supportive Conditions: Identifying and cultivating the right conditions—both internal and external—are vital for effective leadership transformation.

Conclusion

As the session concluded, Margaret felt a renewed sense of clarity and direction. She realized that by aligning the "stars" within her control and redefining her success metrics, she could transition from constant crisis management to strategic leadership. Muriel reinforced the importance of commitment and proactive steps to maintain momentum.

Muriel Wilkins [48:37]: "Now that you see it and you know what you need to do, it's really about just committing to that next step and then keeping it moving for yourself."

Margaret left the session empowered with actionable strategies to restructure her approach, delegate effectively, and foster a more strategic and less reactive leadership style.

Notable Quotes

• Margaret [04:10]: "Am I past my peak? Did I expend all my superpowers? Am I just done?"
• Margaret [15:16]: "I need to be able to articulate what the actual risks are... We have to stop the crises from coming because everybody's just going to keep getting exhausted if we don't do it the right way."
• Margaret [22:31]: "I need to protect it and not let those crises interrupt that block time."
• Margaret [33:42]: "I need to pick the right people... give me the space, trust, time."
• Muriel Wilkins [48:37]: "Now that you see it and you know what you need to do, it's really about just committing to that next step and then keeping it moving for yourself."

This episode offers invaluable insights for leaders who find themselves mired in constant crises, providing practical guidance on shifting from reactive management to proactive, strategic leadership. Whether you're a seasoned executive or emerging leader, Margaret's journey underscores the importance of delegation, redefining success, and creating conducive conditions for sustained growth.