Leading with Confidence in Crisis: Why Empathy and Decisiveness Are Essential Leadership Traits

The world reels from conflict, economies slide into turmoil, and the prevailing mood is one of tension. Uncertainty permeates every team within organizations. Leaders face intense pressure to demonstrate value. Crises tend to expose leaders' limitations more than their strengths. Volatile markets, budget cuts, layoffs, and disruptive change create enormous hurdles for organizations. In these moments, the contrast between those who manage and those who truly lead is stark.

Two traits stand out as decisive: empathy and decisiveness. At first glance, they may seem like opposites—compassion on one side, toughness and speed on the other. In reality, they are two sides of the same coin: the coin of confident, sovereign leadership.

Why Empathy and Decisiveness Matter, Especially in Times of Crisis

Empathy: Building Trust in Uncertain Times

In crises, employee anxiety grows: “Am I at risk?” “Will my department survive?” “Is my project being cut?”

Leaders who communicate with empathy take these fears seriously, provide orientation, and strengthen trust in the organization.

• Fact: Gallup research shows that employees who perceive their leaders as “caring” are up to four times more engaged during times of crisis.

• Practice: Empathetic leadership does not mean delivering only good news. It means delivering difficult news honestly, clearly, and in a human way.
  

Decisiveness: Safeguarding Action

In a crisis, hesitation can be costlier than a wrong move. Markets shift rapidly; uncertainty can paralyze organizations. Decisive leaders signal control: “We are managing the situation.”

• Fact: According to a 2023 PwC study, 68% of surveyed managers named decisiveness as the most important leadership quality in times of crisis.

• Practice: What matters is not making the perfect decision every time, but being able to set clear priorities, take responsibility, and learn from mistakes.
  

Training Empathy—Without Losing Authenticity

Many managers view empathy as a “soft” skill or worry that it signals weakness. In reality, it’s a skill that can be developed and improved through training.

Practice Perspective-Taking

• Method: In meetings, deliberately ask: “How might this decision impact employees at level X?”

• Practice: Role-plays and feedback sessions help uncover blind spots.
  

Practice Active Listening

• Listen not only to content, but also to emotions: “I hear that this situation frustrates you—what do you need to remain effective?”

• Training: Regularly document conversations, focusing not just on facts but also on emotional cues.
  

Be Transparent and Authentic

• Empathy is not about appeasing everyone. It is about honesty and clearly expressing your boundaries.

• Example: “I understand that this situation is stressful. I cannot promise job security, but I do promise full transparency about the next steps.”
  

Show “Micro-Empathy” Daily

Empathy extends beyond crisis meetings. Small acts—genuine thanks, real curiosity about progress, or checking in after a hard week—often outweigh major addresses.

Building Decisiveness—Especially in Middle Management

While top executives usually make strategic calls, it’s often middle managers who must remain operationally effective during crises. Many feel squeezed between pressure from above and scrutiny from below.

How can middle managers develop decisiveness and ensure it is recognized and valued?

Make Decisions Visible

• Clearly communicate what you decided—and why.

• Example: “We decided to postpone Project X to focus resources on Project Y. That means extra workload in the short term, but more stability long term.”

• Effect: Decisions appear logical, not arbitrary.
  

Assess Risks Realistically

• Decisiveness doesn’t mean making every decision instantly.

• Use frameworks:

  • 70/30 rule: Decide when you have 70% of the information; waiting for 100% usually adds little.

  • Stop/Go criteria: Define in advance which factors could overturn a decision.
    

Take Ownership

• Don’t just decide—own the consequences.

• Tip: Don’t cover up mistakes. Analyze them openly. That signals true sovereignty.
  

Train Decisiveness

• Simulations: Use crisis simulations or role-play exercises to practice making quick decisions under pressure.

• Mentoring: Learn from seasoned leaders which factors they prioritize in difficult situations.
  

Empathy and Decisiveness—Not Opposites, but Complements

Too often, empathy and decisiveness are framed as opposites: the “soft heart” vs. the “hard hand.” In truth, confident leadership means combining both confidence and leadership.

• Empathy without decisiveness leads to paralysis: you understand concerns but fail to act.

• Decisiveness without empathy leads to cynicism: you make tough calls but lose your people along the way.

• Balance creates both trust and action—the foundation of sustainable success.
  

Practical Tools for Leaders in Crisis

Communication Tool: The “3E Rule”

1. Empathize – acknowledge concerns: “I know this situation is difficult for many of you.”

2. Explain – clarify the decision: “We need to reduce costs, so we are prioritizing X over Y.”

3. Engage – involve employees: “What ideas do you have to make this transition work best?”
   

Decision-Making Tool: The “RAPID Framework” (Bain & Company)

• Recommend – gather proposals.

• Agree – align on guiding principles.

• Perform – implement the decision.

• Input – collect relevant perspectives.

• Decide – communicate the final call clearly.
  

Personal Training Practices

• Reflection journal: Weekly reflection: What decisions did I make? How empathetic was I in conversations?

• Solicit feedback: Ask team members and superiors: “Do I come across as decisive? Does my empathy resonate?”
  

Examples of Effective Leadership in Crisis

While negative examples from politics and business often dominate the news, there are positive models:

• Jacinda Ardern (former Prime Minister of New Zealand): Known for decisive pandemic responses combined with empathetic communication (“Be kind”). Result: high public trust.

• Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft): Led Microsoft’s transformation with a culture of “empowerment.” Made empathy a core value while pursuing bold strategic moves. Result: Microsoft returned to being one of the world’s most valuable companies.

• German mid-sized companies: During the 2022 energy crisis, many CEOs acted swiftly by investing in solar and efficiency, while maintaining transparent communication with employees and customers.
  

Leading with Confidence Is the Balance of Head and Heart

In crisis situations, it’s not the loudest voices that count, but those who build trust and make decisions.

• Empathy is trainable: through listening, perspective-taking, and authentic communication.

• Decisiveness is learnable: through clear priorities, visible ownership, and practicing quick, transparent calls.
  

Especially in middle management, these traits are vital: leaders here translate top-level strategy into action while addressing the concerns of employees.

Effective leaders strike a balance between empathy and decisiveness. Train empathy with active listening and genuine communication. Develop decisiveness by setting priorities, taking ownership of actions, and learning from mistakes. Middle managers, in particular, benefit from both traits. Remember: confident leadership is balancing humanity with results.