Amid the unprecedented challenges posed by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders worldwide are grappling with how to navigate through turbulent waters effectively. The Public Leadership Through Crisis blog series endeavors to provide insights and ideas for leaders seeking guidance on how to lead during such tumultuous times.

In a recent conversation with a former student deeply involved in his country’s COVID-19 response, a poignant observation was made: “Our government is not set up to respond to this; there are multiple challenges coming at us all at once, requiring multiple new ideas from multiple places, fast. We just can’t mobilize people properly.” This sentiment likely resonates with many leaders facing similar predicaments, prompting a critical reflection on the adaptability of existing bureaucratic structures in times of crisis.

The truth is, traditional hierarchical control mechanisms, though seemingly conducive to crisis management, often fall short when confronted with multifaceted challenges that transcend organizational boundaries. The COVID-19 crisis, like many others, demands decentralized decision-making and coordination mechanisms that can effectively mobilize resources, harness diverse ideas, and facilitate swift action.

In the realm of crisis and disaster management, experts advocate for the adoption of new structural mechanisms tailored to the dynamic nature of the challenges at hand. Decentralization enables leaders to pinpoint decision-making nodes, access pertinent information and ideas, mobilize stakeholders, and monitor actions effectively, thereby facilitating agile responses to evolving crises.

Drawing from my work on problem-driven iterative adaptation (PDIA), I have found Marshall Ganz’s snowflake structure to be an accessible and organic framework for organizing responses to complex problems. This decentralized model, characterized by its flat hierarchy, agility, and flexibility, offers a viable approach to crisis coordination and empowerment.

A compelling case study in organizational reconfiguration amidst crisis is Liberia’s response to the 2014 Ebola epidemic. Faced with a hierarchical bureaucracy ill-equipped to address the magnitude of the crisis, Liberia pivoted midstream, adopting a new organizational mechanism—the Incident Management System (IMS). This system, resembling the snowflake structure in its decentralized nature, empowered decision-makers at various levels and facilitated agile responses to the crisis.

Liberia’s initial response, rooted in traditional bureaucratic structures, proved inadequate in the face of the Ebola outbreak. Centralized decision-making led to bottlenecks, limited coordination across ministries, and inadequate information sharing. Logistical constraints further hindered effective action, exacerbating the crisis and fostering a culture of suspicion and discord among stakeholders.

Recognizing the shortcomings of their existing framework, Liberian authorities swiftly pivoted to a decentralized approach, establishing the IMS to oversee crisis response efforts. This agile, collaborative structure enabled effective decision-making, improved coordination, and enhanced information sharing among stakeholders, leading to a more cohesive and efficient response to the epidemic.

The Liberian experience underscores several key lessons for leaders grappling with crisis management:

  1. Governments must be willing to create new structures tailored to the exigencies of crisis situations.
  2. Organizational pivots midstream are not only feasible but often necessary for effective crisis management.
  3. Even resource-constrained countries can implement agile response mechanisms with strategic leadership and adaptive governance.

As leaders navigate the complexities of crisis management, the Liberian case serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of organizational agility, decentralized decision-making, and collaborative action in overcoming adversity. By embracing innovative approaches to crisis coordination, leaders can steer their organizations toward greater resilience and effectiveness in times of turmoil.