{"id":4940,"date":"2020-05-04T11:13:18","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T18:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insideout.abbotsfordchristian.com\/?p=4940"},"modified":"2022-04-15T22:15:19","modified_gmt":"2022-04-16T05:15:19","slug":"top-ten-leaders-during-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abbotsfordchristian.com\/insideout\/2020\/05\/04\/top-ten-leaders-during-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"TOP TEN LEADERS DURING COVID"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wow, what a time this is! Nothing like a worldwide pandemic to bring us together as a global community. The disease has affected almost every person on the planet in some way, shape, or form and everybody has their own unique way and style of dealing\/coping\/working through it. In my context, as both a husband and a father (and a bunch of other things), I am also the Executive Director of ACS; and as such, I am often observing and learning from other leaders in other schools, our city, our province, our country, and our world.<\/p>\n

During this time, it is not hard to find leaders speaking on behalf of their organizations or countries. In a recorded message to our staff during the week of April 20, I quoted the Queen of England, as I was impressed by her measured perspective. This gave me an idea. The following are my favourite public leaders specific to how they have led their respective countries and organizations during this time. Please note that there are many unsung heroes that don\u2019t ever get recognized and are also amazing leaders in their own right\u2026I am by no means undercutting their value in our society or in our school \u2014 especially during these times.<\/p>\n

Julius\u2019 Top Ten Favourite Leaders during the COVID-19 Crisis<\/h2>\n
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  1. Jacinda Ardern<\/strong><\/span>\u2014Prime Minister of New Zealand. The 39-year-old is touted as one of the heroes of this pandemic, leading the charge in New Zealand as a world leader in how to fight COVID-19 head on. There are recent reports that New Zealand has gotten on the positive side of the curve. I\u2019m particularly struck by her daily briefings from her own living room as she preaches a message of \u201cstaying home.\u201d Her nation feels that she is in this with them together and she has appealed to both the emotions and the logic in an appropriate manner.<\/li>\n
  2. Andy Crouch<\/strong><\/span>\u2014Andy is a Christian author, editor, speaker, and former Editor in Chief of Christianity Today. He, along with his Praxis colleagues, has helped guide Christian leaders in our culture with his podcast and ensuing editorial, \u201cLeading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every Organization Is Now A Startup.\u201d<\/a> He reminds us that leadership during the COVID-19 crisis is as much about posture and how we lead, as it is in what we say and require in terms of implementation. He is also quite prophetic, saying this pandemic should be treated much more like an ice-age than a blizzard.<\/li>\n
  3. Angela Merkel<\/strong><\/span>\u2014Chancellor of Germany. Not a popular leader prior to the pandemic, Angela was even described by some as a \u201clame duck.\u201d However, her unwavering balance of calm pleas backed by scientific rigour, has seemed to disarm the hysteria of the moment. Perhaps being a 65-year-old physician and daughter of a Lutheran pastor has aided her ability to lead well in this time.<\/li>\n
  4. Jeong Eun-Kyeong<\/strong><\/span>\u2014Head of South Korea\u2019s Center for Disease Control. I wanted to list current president Moon Jae-in (who was just voted in for another term), as he is lauded as an incredible leader (which I\u2019m sure he is). The nod for why South Korea is seen as a leader in fighting the COVID-19 crisis (even as news of relapses are being reported in South Korea) goes to his right hand person, the head of the KCDC, who led multiple, coordinated efforts that helped in flattening the curve in South Korea. She continues to move swiftly on the many challenges facing South Koreans.<\/li>\n
  5. Brian Chesky<\/strong> <\/span>\u2014CEO of Airbnb. This is a good news story and I am sure there are hundreds of companies sharing similar stories over the past few weeks. I am sharing this one because Airbnb is a public company and is in the news regularly. Airbnb decided to launch their free \u201cOpen Home-Medical Stays\u201d program allowing people who need respite, critical care, and a place to stay for ones travelling for medical reasons during this time, to access free temporary lodging. I can\u2019t really remark on Brian\u2019s specific leadership per se, but Airbnb inspired hope with this bold and courageous move.<\/li>\n
  6. Doug Ford<\/strong><\/span>\u2014Premier of Ontario. I never thought I would be making this claim, but, in my opinion, Doug Ford is actually doing a good job leading Ontario right now. Maybe I\u2019m putting him on my top ten because I expected something very different from him, so to make the leap into what he has been doing is nothing short of remarkable\u2014seriously!<\/li>\n
  7. Mette Frederiksen<\/strong><\/span>\u2014Prime Minister of Denmark. She is on this list primarily because of her swift and courageous actions early in the pandemic as most of her EU counterparts were not following suit. In hindsight, it was the right move. I would also give her the nod because of her \u201cGreenland is obviously not for sale\u201d comments that shut down an awkward and weird public debate\u2026but that was prior to the pandemic.<\/li>\n
  8. Eric Yuan<\/span>\u2014<\/strong>CEO of Zoom. Obviously Zoom became a sought after commodity almost overnight. The challenges of unprecedented scaling of a small company became evident. However, Eric owned it the whole way through and stayed committed to transparency. Plus, they aren\u2019t doing all that bad on moving on the initiatives that they have had to move swiftly on. As an end-user, we are impressed.<\/li>\n
  9. Pope Francis<\/strong><\/span>\u2014The pope! I\u2019ve always been a big fan, so I\u2019ve been following his words and leadership. \u00a0Obviously, a significant public figure whose every word gets scrutinized. His message of hope, especially during Easter, was especially moving. He reminded us all well that there was death, before everlasting life\u2026a great metaphor for the times we are in.<\/li>\n
  10. Last, but not least, Bonnie Henry<\/strong><\/span>\u2014Our own cult hero, the Provincial Health Officer of BC. Bonnie has received accolades all over the globe for how she is leading through this crisis. I\u2019m not entirely sure we can fully grasp how she has done it:\u00a0 is it her measured responses to questions? Is it the fact that she stays in press briefings until the last question is asked? Is it her innate ability to lead with both emotion and scientific evidence? No matter what her secret is\u2026she is the only one that I could find who actually has a pair of shoes designed with her name.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    We know that leadership matters for organizations. And clearly in times of crisis, quality leadership is essential.<\/p>\n

    To this end, the leaders in our school are off the charts in terms of how they are leading:<\/p>\n