Five principles leaders need to remember in times of crisis

I am Egyptian and a long time ago I had to fulfil my military service, like everyone else in the country. I was the head of a small paratrooper battalion as part of the special forces – our job was to contain terrorists. In this role, I learned five key lessons that can be applied to businesses or individuals in times of crisis. They are something strong leaders should keep in mind as they navigate the difficult situations we all continue to face.

Lesson one: In times of crisis people act on reflex; they do what they know. This means they move to heightened emotions and reduced logic. It is important as a leader to stay calm and try to help your team move back to the logic state, so you are able as a group to have rational discussions and make better decisions.

Lesson two: When under severe stress you cannot predict people’s…