How did you fare during last weekend’s blizzard? If you live in much of the United States, you experienced quite a storm. While many of us are ready to move on, the disruption offers a few useful reminders about leadership.
One lesson is about how leaders respond when outcomes fall just short of expectations. Competitive people strive to come in first whenever possible. A snow record isn’t the same as a sales record, but the dynamic is similar. When a team narrowly misses a target or loses an important deal, some leaders focus on learning—what went wrong, what can improve, and what to do differently next time. Others look for ways to reframe or rationalize the result. The question is not whether the goal was missed, but what the leader chooses to emphasize. What tone are you setting?
Another lesson is a reminder about doing your share. Big weather events often bring out quiet acts of responsibility—lending a snow blower, checking on a neighbor, picking up supplies for someone who can’t get out.
Organizations have their equivalents. Stepping in to help a colleague facing a deadline. Covering for someone who has been out sick. Pitching in without being asked. Are your people inclined to support one another, or do they stay narrowly focused on their own work? And just as important: what behavior are you modeling?
The final lesson is about presence and adaptability. When plans are derailed and options are limited, you adjust and deal with what’s in front of you. Complaining doesn’t improve the situation; clear-headed action does.
This plays out in leadership every day. Priorities shift. Unexpected issues surface. Course corrections are unavoidable. Leaders who remain steady, flexible, and focused help their teams navigate uncertainty with far less friction.
What did the snow storm reveal about your leadership—and what might it be telling you about your organization?
“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”
– Mark Twain
Header image by Mario Cuadros/Pexels.
