Navigating Storms: Lessons & Strategies in Crisis Leadership

In the tumultuous landscape of today's world, crises and emergencies are not uncommon occurrences.

From natural disasters to global pandemics, leaders are often thrust into situations of uncertainty and adversity, where their ability to navigate crises effectively can make all the difference.

We have spoken on these lessons individually, but now it is time to put them together.

1. Embrace Agility and Adaptability

One of the fundamental lessons of crisis leadership is the importance of agility and adaptability. Crises are by nature unpredictable, requiring leaders to respond swiftly and flexibly to evolving circumstances. Leaders must be willing to abandon rigid plans and embrace creative solutions in the face of uncertainty.

Crisis leadership demands a willingness to learn and adapt in real-time. Leaders must be open to feedback, willing to course-correct as needed, and unafraid to experiment with new approaches. By fostering a culture of agility and adaptability, leaders can empower their teams to navigate crises with resilience and resourcefulness.

2. Prioritize Communication and Transparency

Effective communication is paramount in times of crisis. Leaders must keep stakeholders informed, providing regular updates on the situation, the steps being taken, and the expected outcomes. Transparency breeds trust and confidence, reassuring individuals that their concerns are being heard and addressed.

To be effective in times of stress, communication requires empathy and compassion. Leaders must acknowledge the impact of the crisis on individuals and communities, demonstrating genuine concern for their well-being. By communicating with empathy and authenticity, leaders can foster a sense of unity and solidarity, rallying their teams around a shared purpose.

3. Lead with Purpose and Resilience

In times of crisis, leadership is tested like never before. Leaders must remain steadfast in their commitment to their organization's mission and values, providing a sense of stability and direction amidst chaos. They must inspire hope and resilience, reminding their teams that adversity can be overcome with perseverance and determination.

Leading through crisis also requires a focus on self-care and well-being. Leaders must prioritize their own physical and mental health, recognizing that they cannot effectively lead others if they are not taking care of themselves. By modeling resilience and self-care, leaders set a positive example for their teams, encouraging them to prioritize their own well-being as well.

Crisis leadership is both an art and a science, requiring a combination of agility, communication, and resilience.

By embracing agility and adaptability, prioritizing communication and transparency, and leading with purpose and resilience, leaders can navigate crises effectively and emerge stronger on the other side.

All of these strategies are important whether you are leading in a crisis or not, but placing an emphasis on them when times get hard will help you persevere. As the world continues to face unprecedented challenges, the lessons and strategies of crisis leadership will remain invaluable tools for leaders across all sectors and industries.

Midway Speech

For 47 years, the USS Midway and its crews served our nation during the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, and countless other operations. Imagine how many sailors and Marines traversed those decks from the time it was commissioned as the first Midway-class aircraft carrier on 10 September 1945, until it was decommissioned on 11 April 1992.

But why was the ship named the “Midway”? The answer to that, I believe, is a story that everyone here can benefit from.

All of you want to be part of “learning organizations” that can quickly adapt to a changing environment.

That was also true for the American military prior to World War II. Imagine you were a Navy Admiral in 1941. You have been invited, along with all the senior naval officers serving in Washington, to attend a breakfast at the Army-Navy Club in downtown D.C. The host is Admiral Harold Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, and the breakfast is scheduled for 0800 on Sunday, 7 December 1941. As you settle into your seat, it is 0200 in Honolulu, and the nation is at peace, but events are moving rapidly toward a conflict with Imperial Japan.

At the conclusion of the meal, Admiral Stark rose and said the following: “Gentlemen, I have been thinking a lot about the future of our Navy as danger looms globally, and I need your help. What is truly our brand? When I say United States Navy, what word or words come to your mind? What picture immediately flashes in your brain?” I have asked countless modern naval officers for their answer—everyone has said “the battleship.” To reinforce this, a few weeks before, on 29 November 1941, Navy defeated Army 14-6 in football before 100,000 people in Philadelphia Municipal Stadium. In fact, the Navy football team finished the season ranked 10th in the nation. In the program that day was a picture of a battleship. The caption read, “A bow-on view of the USS Arizona as she plows into a huge swell. It is significant that despite the claims of air enthusiasts, no battleship has yet been sunk by bombs.” The battleship was the center of Navy culture at 0800 that morning. Ten hours later, that was no longer true. The aircraft carrier was now predominant in naval warfare. The world had changed.

A little over four months later, on 18 April 1942, 16 medium-range Army Air Corps bombers were launched from the USS Hornet and bombed Tokyo, the capital of Imperial Japan. The 80 aviators involved in this mission were led by Army Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle.

Prior to Pearl Harbor, no one had ever considered launching bombers from an aircraft carrier or done any planning to make that happen. They figured it all out in a few months...

Two months later, on 4 June 1942, was the Battle of Midway. The Japanese were convinced that it was impossible for the U.S. to have launched a bombing raid against their capital from aircraft carriers, so they firmly believed the attack had come from Midway Island. Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy, dispatched four carriers in a task force to capture Midway. He thought this might ensure victory for Japan. Admiral Nimitz took enormous risks and sent the remaining American carriers and a task force to intercept the Japanese.

Japan lost all four carriers during the battle that ensued. The U.S. lost one. But during the Battle of Midway, the two fleets never came within gunfire range of each other. It was aircraft carrier against aircraft carrier. Midway, ladies and gentlemen, was the turning point for the war in the Pacific.

The Japanese never recovered, and that is why this ship was named Midway.

Throughout history, the military is criticized (and rightfully so, quite frankly) for preparing for the last war or, as I like to say, the “last war that it liked.”

But the Battle of Midway is a classic example of being a learning organization at a moment of dramatic change.

Sir Michael Howard, a famous British strategic thinker, once said that success is often “the capacity to adapt oneself to the utterly unpredictable, the entirely unknown.”

Victory in war often goes to the side that can adapt the most quickly to changing conditions.

And that is what you are trying to do as well, as you adapt to the ongoing dramatic changes we are experiencing economically, socially, politically, and geopolitically to best serve your clients.

In that regard, Peter Drucker, the famous organizational theorist, once said that innovation is “change that brings on a new level of performance.” The Wright brothers invented the airplane, but the innovation was using it to deliver the mail, passengers, cargo, or for the military. The American military was innovative in the development not only of the aircraft carrier but the associated aircraft, systems to support it, and tactics to employ the carrier in battle.

Today, the United States has eleven aircraft carriers, and consequently, we are the only nation that can project and sustain large-scale military operations at great distances from our shores. In a similar fashion, you and your organizations must also be innovative in dealing with the ongoing dramatic changes of today.

I firmly believe we, as a nation, are at a major inflection point in our history, and, if you reflect on it, I also believe that such inflection points have occurred about every 75 years in our history. Furthermore, we have normally taken at least five to ten years to adjust to a new reality.

Consider the following: In 1783, American representatives signed the Treaty of Paris with the British, which ended the American Revolution and established our country as a free and independent nation—clearly an inflection point. But we did not sign our Constitution until September 1787, nearly five years later.

If you add 75 to 1783, you get 1858! Another major inflection point in our history as we moved rapidly toward the American Civil War. It began in 1860 with the secession of South Carolina and lasted nearly five years. Many might argue that the effects of this conflict are still being felt to this very day.

If you add 75 to 1865, you get 1940! Again, a major inflection point, as World War II had, in many ways, begun in Europe and Asia, though we would not formally enter the conflict until Pearl Harbor. It lasted until Japan surrendered in September 1945.

If you add 75 to 1945, what do you get? 2020, and the onset of a major global pandemic that has killed 3 million people around the world. There is little question that we are still dealing with its effects at home and around the world.

As we meet tonight, there are ongoing wars in the Middle East that many fear might escalate at any moment into a regional conflict stretching from the Mediterranean to Afghanistan. The war in Ukraine—the largest war in Europe since WWII—continues into its third year with little prospects for a return to peace. Tensions are rising in Asia due to the aggressive policies of the People’s Republic of China, and many fear a war could break out over the continued independence of Taiwan. Here at home, we are in the midst of what will clearly be one of the most contentious elections in modern history, likely to be one of the closest.

But in every crisis, there is opportunity. There are many reasons to worry or even be afraid. But there are also reasons to be optimistic.

I teach at a small college, Dickinson College, and still believe the vast majority of young people I encounter on campus are truly remarkable. They are far smarter and more talented than I was at their age. We are also witnessing remarkable changes almost daily in technology, health care, and other fields. I recently spoke with an expert on artificial intelligence who told me AI would have a greater impact on education than anything that has occurred since the invention of the book.

Let me conclude by using a quote from an old book about another time when global challenges loomed large. In 1859, Charles Dickens wrote his famous book, A Tale of Two Cities. His novel takes place from 1775 to 1792, as Europe is dealing with not only the American Revolution but also the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars that followed.

Dickens begins his novel as follows:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness,
It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,
We had everything before us, we had nothing before us,
We were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...."

The crisis plan that saved Damar Hamlin's life

On Monday, January 2nd, Buffalo Bill safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a tense and unnerving scene for both teams, fans, and viewers as medical professionals worked for nearly 10 minutes to stabilize Hamlin.

It was an organizational crisis that played out, in real time, on national television.

A crisis that required leaders to act quickly, smartly, and respectfully for this truly was a life or death situation.

Since this tragic event only 2 days into 2023, Hamlin has been released from the hospital and is in ongoing recovery. His coach Sean McDermott has been commended for his excellent leadership and decision-making in the immediate moments and days after the event.

McDermott and many others within the Bills organization stepped fully stepped into their leadership on that day. Their actions reminded us of our 3-step crisis leadership plan we have shared here on our blog, and in countless workshops.

Seeing this plan play out, in a real time, real life case study is an excellent way for other leaders to learn and see great leadership “in action.”

Here are a few of the crisis leadership highlights we found most compelling and inspiring on January 2nd, and since.

Step 1: Before the crisis - inoculate your organization

Build trust: A leader must demonstrate their commitment to ethics and organizational values in order to build trust with those they lead. Coach McDermott took over the Bills in 2017 and quickly brought the team back from a low point. During this this time he built deep trust and understanding with his players. When McDermott decided to end the game he had the full support of his team because they have come to trust him and his decisions.

How are you building trust with your team or organization?

Have a crisis action plan AND test it: The NFL has an emergency action plan and protocol of reviewing this plan which many fans may not even know about. This plan is enacted if a player undergoes severe trauma and is reviewed by the NFL and the NFL Players Association. Each team is required to practice their plan, they must identify a nearby level one trauma center, and discuss their plan 1-hour prior to kickoff. It is without a doubt that this plan AND the regimented testing, practicing, and reviewing of this plan is what saved Hamlin’s life. We hope that high schools and colleges consider implementing a very similar protocol for their sports teams, if they have not already.

Do you have a crisis action plan? Maybe you need more than one depending on your organization? Most importantly, are you testing and practicing it?

Step 2: During the Crisis - those nearest must act

Manage fears and emotions: We need more leaders with keen self-awareness and empathy. Coach McDermott and the Bills players all demonstrated incredible poise and respect during the critical 9 minutes that their friend and fellow player was being cared for by medics. Yes, emotions were visible AND very appropriate for the event that was unfolding before them. During press conferences following that day McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen shared their honest feelings and concerns for Hamlin while also remaining optimistic and hopeful. A leader with little self-awareness or empathy may ramble on about their fears for Hamlin’s future in football, the impact him missing may have on the team, and so forth. The Bills team has struck a perfect balance of honesty, empathy, and publicly airing their fears.

How might you best manage your fears and emotions during a crisis in your organization? Do you feel equipped to lead during such a stressful event?

Lead AND be seen leading: In a press conference Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow shared that he felt it important to let the Bills know how his team felt about Hamlin’s on-field emergency. He and the other Bengals captains took it upon themselves to meet with the Bills’ captains to discuss the situation. In the press conference he said, “nobody wanted to continue to play the game.” This act showed tremendous support for the Bills. Furthermore, Burrow and the other captains demonstrated true leadership, organizational values, and deep humanity to their team and the opposing team. Surely some trust-building happened in those moments!

How can you lead AND be seen leading in everyday moments in your team or organization?

Step 3: After the Crisis - learn and set a new course

Be aware of team’s psychological health: After all crisis leaders are responsible for ensuring their own and their team’s mental health. Providing the appropriate resources or tools to support recovery ensures that the individual and team as a whole can recover from the crisis as best they can. For McDermott, the Bills, and the entire NFL this may mean continually assessing players health. Or, involving them in any changes or adaptations that should be made to ensure that the best medical help and attention is available should they become injured. Ensuring physical and psychological safety is the leaders responsibility and critical for everyone to perform at their best.

Do you or your organizations have access to the appropriate resources needed after a crisis event? How can you create these resources or set up the connections so you have them should such an event occur?

Identify lessons learned: Smart organizations use all crisis as an opportunity to learn how they can do better in the future. And once identified, they must incorporate them into the organization effectively. It is now up to the NFL to carefully examine the events on January 2nd. While everything appeared that all protocols were followed closely and everything went as well as it could there are probably some improvements that could be made. Are there other medications or equipment that should be readily available? Do they need more (or less) medics on site? Should the ambulance park closer? These questions are simply examples. Point being, even the most “perfect protocol” should be carefully scrutinized after an event.

Does your organization have an “after action review” protocol? Do you use it? Why or why not?

At Diamond6 we are incredibly impressed by the leadership displayed by Coach McDermott, both teams and organization, the medical professionals, and everyone involved in getting Damar Hamlin the help and support needed. May we continue to see such great examples of leadership and be inspired to lead with the same grace, integrity, and empathy.