For two weeks, we have watched, from the relative safety and comfort of our homes hundreds if not thousands of miles away, the bravery and determination of the Ukrainian people even as the situation in their country becomes increasingly dire. Showing tremendous bravery, citizens of Russia participated in protests in cities across Russia; to date, more than 8,000 have been arrested.

We have heard President Volodymyr Zelensky rally the Ukrainian people, articulate the rationale for international help, and appeal directly, in Russian, to the people of Russia for an end to war. Zelensky gives us a rare, virtual “front-row seat” into the real-time leadership behaviors when the stakes could hardly be higher.

Here is Zelensky in action:

Articulates a vision and gives meaning to the sacrifice. We have seen him in the streets urging citizens to defend their country and to believe in the righteousness of the cause and its ultimate victory. Leveraging social media to reach his citizens, his video message reiterates the justness of their cause, the reason for the sacrifice, and a call to action:

"I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this. That is it. That is all I wanted to tell you. Glory to Ukraine.”

In his remarks to members of the European Parliament, asking for admission to the EU, Zelensky speaks of the impact of the invasion:

“Now, we are dealing with reality. We’re dealing with killed people, real life. …I believe that we today we’re giving lives for the rights, for freedom, for the desire to be equal as much as you are.”

And he reiterates Ukrainian resolve: "Nobody is going to break us; we're strong; we're Ukrainians," and affirms that "Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness."

Uses communication to change hearts and minds. From the private conversations with world leaders to the images of thousands in Prague standing shoulder to shoulder listening to his words, delivered live, as he urged them to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian, his words are as simple and as raw as the ravages his people are facing; he argues that Ukrainians and Europeans are all one and should stand united in these remarks to the European Parliament:

“I speak today about my citizens, citizens of Ukraine, who are defending each other by paying the ultimate price. They are defending freedom… I’m happy that we have unified today, all of you, all the countries of the European Union. But I did not know that this is the price they will have to pay. And this is a tragedy for us, for me, for every Ukrainian—a tragedy for our state. This is a high price, a very high price: thousands of people who have been killed. Two revolutions, one war, and five days of a full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation. The European Union is going to be stronger with us. That’s for sure. Without you, Ukraine is going to be lonely, lonesome. We have proven our strength. We have proven that at a minimum, we are exactly the same as you are. So do prove that you are with us. Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you indeed are Europeans.”

Encourages and empowers. Zelensky has chosen to stay and fight, declining to be evacuated to safety saying, “The fight is here. I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition.” He has spoken openly about being a target for assassination. If reports can be believed, at the time of this writing, he has survived three assassination attempts. Yet, he holds live press conferences, posts videos of his continued presence on the streets of Ukraine, and implores world leaders for help. If he can show that he survives, the people of Ukraine can take heart that they, too, can survive.

Is authentic and empathetic. Often appearing in a military T-shirt and simple jacket, Zelensky articulates examples of the horrors of war and, in particular, the impact on women and children. He shows emotion, his voice breaks. He has been a consistent presence for the Ukrainian people, telling the story of the Ukrainian resistance and bravery to the world, both moving listeners to tears and rallying support across Europe and beyond.

What crisis management lessons can CEOs learn from Zelensky? While every situation is unique, here are a few:

If this is a black swan event for which you have not created a scenario playbook, pull together your best and brightest to not only decide on the plan of action but also to reinforce their commitment to its execution. Ensure that your plan includes contingency options for supply chain disruption or other possible future challenges.

• Involve the board for their guidance and support.
• Get out ahead of the issue. Depending on the situation, a public response may well be necessary, but make sure that employees do not learn of this from breaking news alerts.
• Speak to all stakeholders, and explain the situation as well as the actions you plan to take, including a commitment to carefully monitoring the situation.
• Regularly update all stakeholder groups.

Initially, Zelensky was dismissed as little more than a comic, a contestant on “Dancing With The Stars” and a lightweight; a popular entertainer who somehow made his satirical television show, “Servant of the People,” become real. Shakespeare wrote that “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Zelensky, with greatness thrust upon him, stepped into the spotlight on the largest stage imaginable and delivered the performance of a lifetime.

No one knows just how this story ends. But we do know that this chapter of world history will always feature a protagonist called Zelensky whose example of effective wartime leadership inspired the people of a nation and millions more beyond its borders.