When Lynn Guerriero started as President of Niagara Health in February 2020, she had no idea how quickly her crisis leadership skills would be put to the test.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic meant her first month on the job was like no other.

Guerriero, who is now also the organization’s CEO, will share her insights on leadership’s response to crisis next week as part of the Business Breathers series facilitated by Goodman Group, the Goodman School of Business’s community-focused learning and development services provider. The free online webinar will take place Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 11 a.m.

“The presentation will be framed around health care,” Guerriero said. “But the leadership response and underlying principles would be relevant to any sector or organization in crisis.”

Participants will leave the session with an enhanced appreciation of the importance of relationships and an understanding of how a command-and-control leadership style can be used to garner trust and enable an organization to achieve its goals during a crisis.

Guerriero says the COVID-19 pandemic validated the benefits of crisis leadership skills, including transparency, authenticity and visibility, and highlighted the importance of two-way, clear and timely communication with internal and external stakeholders.

Guerriero is an accomplished leader in the Ontario health-care system with more than 30 years of leadership, management and clinical experience within a variety of health-care settings, including the provincial government, acute care, rehabilitation and community care. She is known for her expertise in providing positive leadership in large, complex environments, leading to progressive improvements in health-care practice and performance.

Everyone is welcome to attend the Business Breathers webinars. Topics focus on leadership, management and innovation as well as the financial and social impacts of trending topics. Interested participants are asked to register online. A confirmation email will provide a link to access the webinar at the date and time of the event.

Upcoming Business Breathers:

Identifying the best light for your new product and revealing your product through it
Tek Thongpapanl and Magnus Hultman, Goodman School of Business, Brock University
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m.