It has been several months since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic. In New York City, the surge in COVID-19 cases during March and April presented clinical and operational challenges. It also posed unprecedented leadership challenges—situations that required individual members of our team to take ownership of emerging problems and rally others within the organization to work together to overcome them. The specific challenges in emerging hotspots will vary, but understanding the leadership challenges posed by this crisis can help hospitals face the pandemic. Three leadership lessons stand out from our experience in the Bronx, where one of us is a nurse executive: (1) build strong interdisciplinary communication, (2) create space for change and adaptation, and (3) encourage individuals across disciplines and roles to practice leadership.1 

Communication is one of the greatest challenges for any organization facing a crisis. Crisis communication must be bidirectional. Rapidly changing updates...

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