| Bull, rabbit or eagle? |
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In their business simulations with top executives, consultancy CHPD has observed three typical responses in how top executives deal with a crisis. These are responses they see being enacted in the real business world as the recession affects the way business is being done. The three classic responses they see in their business simulations are: 1. Rabbit in the headlights – some leaders just freeze, they feel uncomfortable, find it very hard to change strategy to meet changing needs and fail to act or lead effectively 2. Bull in a china shop – other leaders do act, in fact that’s all they do, they have no clear focus, but they instigate lots of initiatives with no clear strategy and all they succeed in doing is making their managers anxious 3. Eagle on the hunt – the final group of leaders actually seem to thrive in crisis situations, they focus very sharply, they prioritise the right actions and they instill confidence in their people Chris Parry, CEO of CHPD, believes that one of the reasons for business failure at the moment is that the ‘bulls’ and the ‘rabbits’ are in charge of British businesses. These behaviours were not so noticeable or impactful in better times, but they are definitely showing through now. Undoubtedly being a business leader in the current environment is not easy. In fact it can be very lonely at the top, If you notice yourself behaving like a ‘rabbit’ or a ‘bull’, act now to get the coaching, mentoring or training and development to help you become the ‘eagle’ your managers and employees really need. |
