5 things to remember as you lead through crisis

Dan Hall March 22, 2020

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In the movie Men in Black, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) is explaining to Will Smith’s character why the government doesn’t simply admit the presence of aliens. 

Smith says, “Why don’t we just tell them? People are smart.” 

Jones responds, “The person is smart, but people are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals!” 

Wise individuals get swept up into group-think and mob-mentality. I truly believe that is happening right now. Regardless of my view of the seriousness or insignificance of this outbreak, the collective panic is real, resulting in a devastating impact on the global stage.

Well, what do we do?

I’ve read quite a few opinion pieces, church websites, commentaries and other collective points of perspective. Some border on stupidity: “build a bunker, buy gold and hide” to “don’t worry about it.”  

If you’re in any leadership role (business owner, pastor, parent, educator, etc.) finding the balance between personal opinion and collective response is a challenge. Here is my checklist I’ve tried to follow:

1. Stay calm - the self-defeating nature of panic requires someone to stand still while everyone is running in circles. Being frenetic does not facilitate anything productive. In fact, it feeds into its own frenzy. 

Whether you choose to sit by a body of water to pray or think, journal, go for a run or simply drink a cup of coffee, slow your heart rate. Paul told his spiritual son Timothy, “keep your head in all situations.”

2. Educate yourself - I am not, by nature, a researcher. I want headlines and bottom lines. But when something this large occurs, we must educate ourselves. The Internet and cable television often feed group-think in chaos, but they can also be valuable tools of information to the diligent and insightful seeker. 

Don’t just listen to your favorite cable station and believe you have a head on things. Listen to people with whom you may even disagree, look for articles from reputable sources, force yourself not to read conspiracy theories.

3. Use wisdom - I was scheduled to leave for Central America in two weeks for alternative treatment. While I am in the high-risk group, I’m not really concerned about this virus. I’m probably in denial of my true condition more so than the virus itself. However, I am terrified of getting quarantined in a developing nation! Only slightly less is the terror I feel of being quarantined on a military base after returning. The logistics of taking care of a quadriplegic my size and with my personality is daunting! 

I canceled the trip, not out of fear of coronavirus, but out of the reality that, regardless of my health, I cannot control whether somebody on my plane will test positive resulting in me being stuck with personnel arguing over “who’s gonna take care of the crippled fat guy over there!" Wash your hands, practice the discipline of either social distancing or elbow bumps and other recommendations by our leaders and experts.

4. Empathize - I’m not worried but I have people around me who are. I can roll my eyes, mock them or find comfort in my pseudo-superiority. 

Or, I can understand that 

a) They may legitimately have fear and I can be a point of grace and comfort to them and 

b) They may be right

Just because my research comforts me or my personality isn’t quickly given to chaos doesn’t mean I’m right! If I turn out to be correct, they may trust me next time. If they turn out to be correct, I don’t want to have to apologize!

5. Pull on your faith - I have enough agnostic and atheist friends to know this may be irrelevant or they need to translate it into their vernacular, but if you’re a person of faith, this is when it matters. One of my favorite phrases in Scripture is Paul’s exhortation to the church at Colossae: “Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts…”

That word “rule” can also be translated into our English word “umpire.” If I’m willing to stay calm I am more capable of hearing His guidance in my heart. Further, if I start down the road that’s not correct, I’ll hear Him warn me by shouting “foul,” allowing me to correct course and make a better decision.

In the last hundred years, we’ve emerged from two world wars, the Spanish flu, the Cold War, ISIS, the Patriots winning six Super Bowls and the Cowboys’ Jerry Jones (Well, it’s yet to be seen if we can survive him or not!). Go back 500 years, and it’s even more daunting. 3000 years? We ain’t got nothing on them!

It may be ugly for a little while, but it’s not the end. And for those of us with faith, we have the added comfort of one of my favorite passages, Psalm 46:1-3: 

God is our refuge and strength,

    an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

    and the mountains quake with their surging. 

Photo source: istock 

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Dan Hall served as senior pastor in three churches for more than 25 years, from a church plant right out of college to a multiethnic fellowship of 5000 with over 40 nationalities. Over the last 10 years, he has served as a coach and consultant to senior pastors and executive teams in the areas of generosity, strategic alignment and leadership development. After an accident left him a quadriplegic in 2016, Dan has expanded his ministry to include “Emerging from the Shadow,” sharing his journey from near death to a new beginning. Learn More »

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