What Churchill can teach about leading in a crisis

What Churchill can teach about leading in a crisis | A guide to layoffs with compassion | You shouldn't revert to the same old business Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( April 2, 2020 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( [SmartBrief on Leadership]( Innovative Ideas. Ahead of the Curve. [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [SHARE](  [] Leading Edge [] [What Churchill can teach about leading in a crisis]( Winston Churchill led Britain through World War II by making tough decisions, projecting a sense of confidence to the country and being personally affectionate even as he was often severe about the work, writes Steve McKee. "He could get very emotional, but after bitterly criticizing you he had a habit of touching you, of putting his hand on your hand -- like that -- as if to say that his real feelings for you were not changed," British wartime official Lord Beaverbrook said of Churchill. Full Story: [SmartBrief/Leadership]( (4/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [A guide to layoffs with compassion]( Organizations that need to do layoffs should do it all at once, as "multiple rounds of layoffs demoralizes your team and erodes any trust and confidence they have in you," writes David Ulevitch. "Demonstrate empathy, be a listener, but stand behind the company's decisions," he writes. Full Story: [Andreessen Horowitz]( (3/31) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Strategic Management [] [You shouldn't revert to the same old business]( Use this crisis to understand the work, processes and knowledge that truly matter so that your organization can gather, document and focus on those activities after this crisis lifts. Questions to ask include "What non-essential work have we stopped doing that could potentially stay stopped?" Full Story: [Let's Grow Leaders]( (3/30) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] [Pandemic sparks new interest in doomsday prepping]( Companies that cater to doomsday preppers are doing a brisk business during the coronavirus pandemic, with some selling out of supplies and others taking new orders to build personal bunkers. "Most of my clients believe the big one is still to come; they've always wanted a bunker, but coronavirus was the deciding factor," says Ron Hubbard, founder of Atlas Survival Shelters. Full Story: [The Hustle]( (3/28) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Smarter Communication [] [How to handle the PR side of coronavirus]( Companies need to get ahead of the coronavirus, whether it's touting their specific angle of expertise or being ready to proactively communicate an employee's positive test without compromising privacy, writes BoardroomPR executive Todd Templin. "Messaging should demonstrate compassion for hardships that clients and employees are facing," he writes. Full Story: [PR Daily]( (3/31) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] In Their Own Words [] [Orioles offer virtual mental health sessions]( Kathryn Rowe, the Baltimore Orioles' first mental skills coordinator, has been hosting virtual sessions for players, including separate Spanish-language meetings, to help them deal with stress. "My focus has been getting them on a routine because that helps during an awkward, confusing, scary time like this," she says. Full Story: [The Baltimore Sun (tiered subscription model)]( (4/1) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( [] Daily Diversion [] [Unsung astronaut finally gets a song of his own]( While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon more than 50 years ago, their colleague Michael Collins was in orbit inside the command module, safe and sound but relatively unnoticed. Former Weezer band member Matt Sharp and his band, The Rentals, have released a song about Collins titled ["Forgotten Astronaut."]( Full Story: [Ars Technica]( (3/31) [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email]( Sharing SmartBrief on Leadership with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. Refer 10 new readers to receive one year of digital access to The New York Times. Experience groundbreaking reporting, commentary, documentaries and more. [SHARE]( Or copy & share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/leadership/?referrerId=japnABMSAp [] [] Challenge yourself; it's the only path which leads to growth. Morgan Freeman, actor, narrator [LinkedIn]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Email](   SmartBrief publishes more than 200 free industry newsletters - [Browse our portfolio]( [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Advertise with SmartBrief]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy policy]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:leadership@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE](mailto:lengel@smartbrief.com) SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 Â