HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeLeadershipback to Research & KnowledgeHow not to be a hostage to COVID-19: Episode 2back to Leadership

Video

How not to be a hostage to COVID-19: Episode 2

Being a secure base in times of threat and uncertainty

By George Kohlrieser

5 min.

April 2020

This is an episode in the video series How not to be a hostage to COVID-19. Psychologist George Kohlrieser, Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour, IMD, brings his long experience as a hostage negotiator to the table. He provides practical advice for getting past fear and worry, helping us to retake a position of power and refusing to become a psychological hostage to the COVID-19 crisis.

In episode two, Being a Secure Base in times of threat and uncertainty, Professor Kohlrieser explains the concept of Secure Base Leadership. The Secure Base’s role is to shut down the brain’s tendency to look for danger and keep amygdala stimulation to a safe minimum.

A Secure Base’s second role is to inspire—during these times, that implies virtual leadership. This can help you change your emotions and move to a positive mindset, which will help both you and others focus on the ultimate goal.

Professor Kohlrieser gives a personal example of this type of leadership technique that occurred during a turbulent plane ride. When a fellow passenger panicked and started screaming, he was able to show caring by holding her hand. That gesture, and the language Kohlrieser used during the event, helped to alleviate the fearful passenger’s worry and keep her calm.

To view all videos, please visit our Leading in Turbulent Times page here.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Article

A strategic thinking test for leaders - Brain Circuits

Take the strategic thinking test for leaders to assess your readiness and explore practical steps to strengthen this vital leadership capability.

Leadership Strategy

By Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD

Article

Five key steps to accelerate your leadership career

Discover five key steps to accelerate your leadership career and learn how to amplify impact while navigating critical transitions.

Leadership

By Alyson Meister

in I by IMD

Case Study

Sandoz China: Do we stay or do we go?

Strategy China Leadership

By Mark J. Greeven and Jim Pulcrano

Case Study

Sandoz (A): Breaking free to stand alone

Strategy Leadership Global Business

By Jim Pulcrano, Charan Singh, Zita Falk, Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley

Video

Lean and clean are perfect partners, says CEO of engineering giant

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Leadership Strategy Sustainability

By Jean-François Manzoni

in I by IMD

Podcast

Leaner, cleaner, faster, stronger: How ABB is reshaping an engineering icon for the future

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Innovation Leadership Sustainability

By Jean-François Manzoni

in I by IMD

Article

Is there a leadership “personality”?

Explore the truth behind leadership personality and success. Learn how to harness your traits to shape the leader you want to become.

Shipping Decarbonization - Maersk

How Maersk is rewriting the rules of shipping decarbonization – through collaboration, purpose, and placing big bets on the fuels of the future.

Leadership Supply Chain Sustainability

By David Bach and Felix Zeltner

in I by IMD

Article

Generation of Givers - Family Business

Discover how family business leaders can nurture a generation of givers, ensuring wealth transfer builds lasting impact.

Family Business Leadership Strategy

By Camille Korschun, Peter Vogel and Martin Euwema

in I by IMD

Article

This much I know: The dos and don’ts of a new CEO

Becoming the leader of a successful organization requires profound shifts in mindset and behavior.

Leadership

By Richard Roi

in I by IMD

Sandoz China: Do we stay or do we go?

By Mark J. Greeven and Jim Pulcrano
Case reference: IMD-2680 ©2025

Summary

The Sandoz leadership team faced an important decision as it broke away from Novartis and became a public company. Should Sandoz retain the global geographical coverage it had had in its many years as part of Novartis? Or should it focus on fewer geographies and a simplification of the business models it was using? Since Sandoz was in a lower margin business than an innovator pharma company like Novartis, eventually, the senior leadership team decided to exit China. There was a belief that it was going to be difficult to compete on price with local Chinese companies, and the investment required to invest in more complex generics, as well as high-margin biosimilars, was beyond the means of Sandoz as it became a publicly listed company. The case also touches on the differences of opinion in a very strong leadership team and the options that were explored, or not, as the sale of Sandoz China to Aspen Pharmacare was concluded.

Reference IMD-2680

Organization Sandoz

Industry Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

China

Leadership

Browse all topics

Sandoz (A): Breaking free to stand alone

By Jim Pulcrano Charan Singh Zita Falk Franciska Darmer and Barbara Schmidt-Ley
Case reference: IMD-2669 ©2025

Summary

This case series explores Sandoz's spin off from Novartis, which was finalized on 4 October 2023. Case A follows Richard Saynor's (CEO, Sandoz) ruminations as he builds the company strategy in preparation for the board's approval of Sandoz as a standalone company. The narrative outlines the key strategic areas that Richard, along with his senior leadership team, considered and which strategy was eventually approved by the board of directors (i.e. product portfolio mix), the direction of the growth strategy (i.e. top vs. bottom line approach), target geography regions and ownership model. Case A focuses on the dilemmas and considerations of each strategic area.

Reference IMD-2669

Organization Sandoz

Industry Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

Leadership

Global Business

Browse all topics

Lean and clean are perfect partners, says CEO of engineering giant

By Jean-François Manzoni
in I by IMD

Summary

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Strategy

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Leaner, cleaner, faster, stronger: How ABB is reshaping an engineering icon for the future

By Jean-François Manzoni
in I by IMD

Summary

ABB CEO Morten Wierod on leaner cleaner strategy, electrification, automation, robotics, AI, digital transformation, sustainability, leadership.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Innovation

Leadership

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Shipping Decarbonization - Maersk

By David Bach and Felix Zeltner
in I by IMD

Summary

How Maersk is rewriting the rules of shipping decarbonization – through collaboration, purpose, and placing big bets on the fuels of the future.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Leadership

Supply Chain

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Generation of Givers - Family Business

By Camille Korschun Peter Vogel and Martin Euwema
in I by IMD

Summary

Discover how family business leaders can nurture a generation of givers, ensuring wealth transfer builds lasting impact.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Family Business

Leadership

Strategy

Browse all topics