3 traits all managers can copy from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's strong but calm response to the pandemic that will earn your team's trust in a crisis

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3 traits all managers can copy from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's strong but calm response to the pandemic that will earn your team's trust in a crisis
Andrew Cuomo

Andrew Kelly/Reuters

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivers remarks at a news conference regarding the first confirmed case of coronavirus in New York State in Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, on March 2, 2020

  • Many have praised New York's agile response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
  • A recent Business Insider poll found that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is among America's most trusted leaders amid the health crisis.
  • Business Insider spoke with Lee Miringoff, a political science professor and director of Marist Institute for Public Opinion, on why leadership is critical during times of crisis, and how Cuomo's response to coronavirus made him one of the most prominent leaders during the pandemic.
  • Click here for more BI Prime stories.

The coronavirus is fast-moving - but so is New York's leadership.

In a matter of weeks, New York has become the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the US. As of April 7, New York state reported 130,703 patients who tested positive with COVID-19 and 5,489 deaths. Hospitals are facing bed and medical equipment shortages, and the surge in COVID-19 cases prompted New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to declare a state of emergency. He has since ramped up testing efforts, built temporary hospitals at military bases, and encouraged New Yorkers to practice social distancing for the time being. In an effort to "flatten the curve," the governor also doubled the maximum fine for breaking social distancing rules to $1,000.

Cuomo's agile response to the coronavirus outbreak is a case example of leadership during crises, said Lee Miringoff, a political science professor at Marist College and director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.

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"Political leadership is especially important right now," Miringoff said. "What political leadership does is that it not only harnesses the resources to do what needs to be done, but it also provides people with a sense of emotional lift during this challenging time."

A recent Business Insider poll found that the Cuomo, alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, are two of the most trusted leaders weighing in on the coronavirus outbreak. Cuomo has emerged as a prominent leader in coronavirus response and politicians, public health experts, and the general public have praised him for driving immediate efforts to combat the virus.

"I think the rest of the country is witnessing and appreciating this because of the lack of leadership coming from the White House," Grace Meng, a New York Democrat and vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, previously told The New York Times when discussing Cuomo's leadership style.

Here's how Cuomo's response to the global pandemic is a case study example of leadership during crisis.

He's transparent and consistent with his response

Cuomo holds daily press briefings where he discusses the response to the pandemic in New York. Every day at around noon, he stands in front of a podium and devotes an hour to updates regarding the coronavirus outbreak in New York.

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He's a very consistent leader, Miringoff told Business Insider. And people crave normalcy during a time of crisis, he added.

"During this time, you want some normalcy," he said. "You don't just want to hear the problems, but you also want an update. The daily briefings give you a sense of some connection and comfort knowing that someone out there is doing what needs to be done."

The press briefings also demonstrate transparency, another key leadership trait. Harry Kraemer, a clinical professor of leadership at Northwestern University, previously shared with Kellogg Insight that the key facets of good leadership during a pandemic are not only do the right thing, but also be transparent with your team.

"Almost every crisis is different," he said. "So there's not a game plan for solving the crisis. However, there is a game plan, in my mind, for how you should approach the crisis. Tell people what you know, what you don't know, and when you'll get back to them to discuss what you didn't know before."

He remains calm

Nearly 6.6 million Americans filed jobless claims since April 28. Major corporations and small businesses are preparing for a global recession, and many are still grappling with this sudden downturn. All of this has generated a tremendous amount of anxiety for Americans.

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Despite these facts, Cuomo maintains his calm demeanor when he addresses the public, Miringoff said.

Miringoff said that Cuomo was much more of a tactician, but he's since shown great depth in connecting with people and "emphasizing that emotional lift for people." He understands that the pandemic is affecting everyone, he added.

He knows that he can't do this alone

Cuomo is asking other leaders and experts to do their part to help solve the crisis, Miringoff said.

"If Americans would pull together and understand that this is a unified effort, we as a country would move in a better direction," he added.

Miringoff said the next best thing you can do is to try to stay ahead of the game and scenario-plan.

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Since declaring a state of emergency, Cuomo has been counting the number of ventilators and masks he needs to support the state, Business Insider previously reported. In an effort to increase medical supplies and access to healthcare, the Jacob K. Javits convention center in Manhattan is being converted into an emergency hospital. The 1000-bed facility will be made available by the end of this week, Cuomo said.

The New York governor also announced that 6,000 mental health professionals volunteered to participate in a free mental health hotline for New Yorkers.

"No one's really talking about this," Cuomo said in a press conference on March 25. "You know, we're all concerned about the immediate critical need. The life and death of the immediate situation, which is right. But don't underestimate the emotional trauma that people are feeling, and the emotional health issues."

Cuomo recognizes that nothing will improve without intervention, and it's important to tap experts who can help solve the crisis, Miringoff said.

"It's going to be a rough couple of weeks from now on, but taking the bold steps that might even be ahead of where public opinion is one of the best move you can make from a leadership standpoint," he said.

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