Does there always seem to be a crisis in your organization? When there is, do your leaders have a duck-and-run mentality?

How leaders work through trouble is crucial for the success of any organization. Here are six key traits that are necessary for the management of crisis situations.

1. Decisiveness

A leader must be able to make decisions. As President John F. Kennedy once stated, "There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction."

There are times when leader needs to be able to make swift decisions. During a crisis there may not be much time, and time may be of the essence. There should be some balance rather than always being on the extreme end of the decision spectrum.

Having a take-charge attitude helps in making things work during a crisis. Inaction on the part of a leader shows a lack of discernment on the reality of what is really happening. This inaction helps garner anxiety in others in the organization.

2. Strength

A leader must show strength and take the initiative to follow through on making proper decisions to help pull the organization through in a time of crisis.

The leadership must be able to communicate to personnel within the organization. There may be changes that are necessary to quell the current crisis, and there will always be a resistance to change. The leader must help the organization in adapting to these changes.

3. Consensus

A leader must be consensus builder. A good strategy helps in the communication process to the workforce. The leader may need to bring in others who can help in making the swift decisions and offer other options. This can help in curtailing any further determents that can happen in a crisis.

4. Confidence

Have you ever had a leader that had a crisis of confidence? There are real ramifications caused by this lack of leadership. A time of action, rather than inaction, can make all the difference in quelling the crisis. A leader may not have a second chance to get on top of the problem and to provide a solution.

5. Common sense

Common sense is the most underused tool in a leader's toolbox. This is how a leader shows his or her strength. This is a practical approach in making sure to address all the issues. Having a plan that can be immediately implemented is a sure-fire way to help in getting to a quicker resolution to the crisis.

6. Experience

Finally, a leader should have some level of experience to deal with a crisis. This often comes with years of experience in the field, learning from both success and failure in the past.

But leaders do not have to know everything, and they should be able to count on others to help in the decision-making process. A crisis is no time to do what may be expedient to make the crisis go away.

Instead, a leader needs to plan in advance, communicate with the workforce and formulate a strategy. This leads to timely execution and a swift resolution to the crisis, and it will also help avoid another crisis in the future.