As Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine enters its second month, the world has come to know the power of effective leadership and a common purpose. What many expected to be a short-lived war measured in days has turned out to be a bloody slog for the Russian invaders as the outnumbered but determined Ukrainians kept them from taking any of their vital cities.
Throughout his nation’s ordeal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been a beacon of hope for his people, rejecting a US offer to whisk him away to safety outside the capital Kyiv in the early days of the war, with his now famous retort: “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”
Subsequently, the Ukrainian president has pressured the United States and its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide his troops the wherewithal—anti-tank and surface-to-air rockets—to beat back the invaders. In video addresses from Kyiv, he has also exhorted and inspired his people to fight on, despite the merciless shelling of civilian targets by the Russians. In the last month, he has addressed the European Parliament, the British House of Commons, the US Congress, and the Bundestag—pressing them for more aid, and reminding them that the Ukrainians were fighting, not only for themselves, but also for the rest of Europe, and perhaps the rest of the world.
His leadership following the invasion has won him widespread international admiration, and he has been described as a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.
In fact, Zelenskyy’s stellar performance in the middle of a war has spawned numerous business articles that analyze his leadership style and try to draw lessons on how best to manage people in a crisis.
Edward Segal, writing in Forbes, says Zelenskyy has important lessons for all business leaders about communicating and responding to a crisis. Some of these lessons are:
Be seen. If you want to be a leader, you have to be seen.
Communicate effectively. Authentic leaders are able to communicate in a direct and authentic way, with humanity and a sense of empathy.
Be active and engaged. A leader must be seen as being willing to do what he is asking his people to do, sharing their tribulations.
Lead by example. More times than not, the best leaders don’t lead from the back; they are up front leading the charge.
On the other hand, communications executive Jim Olson, writing in Fast Company, says Zelenskyy exhibits the five virtues of consequential leadership:
Conviction: Consequential leaders know—and honor—their purpose.
Courage: Consequential leaders have the fearlessness to live their purpose—even under life-threatening conditions.
Composure: Consequential leaders thrive under fire and in times of great uncertainty.
Communication: Consequential leaders communicate frequently, authentically and truthfully.
Compassion: Finally, consequential leaders put serving others ahead of serving themselves.
Perhaps we, too, can learn a lesson or two about leadership as we prepare to elect our next leader in May. The least we can do is to pick one who truly exhibits most if not all of these virtues. Our nation’s survival may depend on it.
