Leading with Humanity in Crisis: A Leadership Reflection
In the middle of a typhoon response, I remember standing in a crowded office. Communications were patchy, roads were blocked, and the days were long. We had urgent tasks: getting supplies out, coordinating assessments. But what stays with me isn’t just what we did. It’s how we did it.
One of my team members, a woman on our assessment team, stands out in my memory. She was a newbie, young, curious, and deeply committed. What many didn’t know was that just weeks before, her husband had been killed in the storm. She was now the sole provider for her children and extended family. And yet, there she was. Showing up for others every day, coordinating assessments, gathering data, and ensuring support reached the communities that needed it most.
One evening, after a long day in the field, we sat together quietly. I asked her how she was doing. Not as a polite check-in, but as an invitation to share what was going on in her life. She shared about her family, her grief, and her reasons for continuing to show up.
That moment stayed with me. It reminded me that leadership isn’t just about action plans and task lists. It’s about seeing the person in front of you. Not just as a role, but as a whole human being.
People are capable of extraordinary things when they feel safe and seen.
After that, I started creating space for conversations that weren’t just about “what’s next,” but “how are we, really?” It didn’t slow us down. It made us stronger. It built trust. And when people trusted they were cared for, they were able to lead from a place of courage, clarity, and connection—even in the middle of a crisis.
🌿 A Reflection for You
Whether you’re leading a team, contributing to a project, or simply navigating your own next step…
✨ Where am I making space to truly see others, beyond their role?
✨ What might shift if I offered that same space to myself?
This approach, staying connected to the humanity in the work, is what I now bring into my coaching and facilitation. Whether I’m working with humanitarian leaders or corporate teams, I believe the conditions for effective leadership are the same:
- Self-awareness to lead with clarity.
- Emotional connectedness to build trust.
- Authenticity to invite others to lead alongside you.
🌿 An Invitation to Reflect
If you’d like to explore these questions more deeply, I’ve created a Leadership Reflection Journal Page—a simple space to pause, reflect, and lead from a place of clarity and connection. Click "Download" below.
You can use this page to start your own practice of leadership reflection. You can even save or print these out each week and build your own book of leadership reflections—a personal guide to see how you’re growing and leading in complex times.
If that resonates, I invite you to join Within Reach, my weekly newsletter. Every edition includes a reflection, a story, and a question to guide your leadership—something small you can return to throughout the week. Over time, you’ll build a collection of your own insights and leadership wisdom.
🌿 What’s Within Reach for You Today?
What’s closer than you think… if you stop to notice?
Until next time,
Linda
Touching Distance | Within Reach
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