Tag: crisis leadership Blog

The Leader as a Heat Shield

When your organization is under fire or in crisis, you need to see yourself as a heat shield. The metaphor is apt. When a space vehicle re-enters the earth’s atmosphere, the heat shield deflects and diffuses the energy that would otherwise burn up the capsule. Similarly, leaders must act as heat shields for their organizations. …

Leadership in Times of Crisis

This tool explains the skills of effective crisis leadership. It is inevitable at some point in your career you will face a situation that requires extraordinary courage under fire. More than at any other time, you will feel a lack of control. This is a frightening feeling. In a crisis: Events are unfolding more quickly …

Preparing for the Next Super Storm

When a major disaster looms, the prepared executive knows exactly what to do. They’ve planned for different scenarios. They have different responses at the ready. At stake is nothing less than the fate of your organization. Even a relatively small crisis can cost your organization dearly if handled poorly. Your crisis management planning should include …

Crisis Management Reflections on the Gulf Oil Spill

Watching executives from British Petroleum, Transocean and Halliburton testify before Congress about the Gulf oil spill on Tuesday reminded me of the cardinal rules of leading through a crisis. Unfortunately, it looks like the BP-TO-HB trio never got the memo. There are two rules to follow in a crisis. Rule number one is this: Protect …

California in Crisis: My Modest Budget Proposal

The solution to the budget crisis in California involves setting ground rules for communication that increase productive conversation on key issues.