problem solving skills and crisis management

Problem Solving in Crisis Management

By Michael Curran-Hays , Kepner-Tregoe

Leadership Fundamentals Meet leadership challenges using the logical thinking process leaders use to gather, organize and analyze information before taking action. Learn More

Every week we see in the news another example of companies in crisis – customer service crises, critical IT system issues, management crisis and business continuity issues caused by natural disasters. Customers and shareholders may quickly forget the details of what caused the crisis but how you handle the situation will be etched into their memory and shape their perception of you long into the future. For many companies, how a crisis is handled could mean the difference between a healthy recovery and going out of business.

You may not be able to predict when a crisis will occur, or even what it will be – but that doesn’t prevent you from planning ahead and ensuring your leaders and organization know what to do when crisis hits. At its core, a crisis is just a big problem and all the basic problem-solving skills your employees have learned can be applied. There are a few things, however, that make a crisis unique and require you to up your problem-solving game to the next level.

Impact to the organization

In a non-crisis situation, the primary focus of your organization is resolving the issue and getting business back to normal. A crisis situation is different in that it brings with it an added level of complexity related to managing both the issue and long-term impacts to the organization. These impact may be operational, financial or reputational and in most cases a crisis will involve more than one. Quickly assessing the impact of the crisis (and re-assessing frequently) will likely influence (if not dictate) the choices you make, how you communicate and the urgency you place on resolving the issue.

Reputational impact in many cases will out-weigh operational cost considerations when dealing with a crisis situation. News outlets and social media are starving for controversy and companies in crisis are a juicy target, so minimizing exposure is critical. Applying problem solving techniques to the crisis enables you to objectively evaluate the holistic environment and weigh the impacts of different options to make informed decisions for mitigating potential impact.

Time is of the essence

The longer an organization is in a state of crisis, the less likely they are to successfully return to normal business operations. During a crisis, the risk of making a critical mistake increases significantly – as do operational costs. While a crisis environment may be sustainable for a short period of time, fatigue, loss of focus and resource constraints can quickly diminish organizational effectiveness.

By planning ahead and ensuring that key crisis management resources understand the problem management process, are comfortable with the role they need to play and are clear on decision structures – ambiguity and confusion can be reduced once the crisis has begun. Simulation and team based problem-solving exercises can build familiarity with individual personalities, skills and working styles – reducing the potential for stress based conflict and improving problem-solving efficiency.

Effectiveness of solution

Crisis situations often lead companies to set-aside structured governance processes and bypass control mechanisms with an “in case of emergency – break the glass” mentality. While there are clearly times when exceptions to normal operating procedures are justified, it is important not to replace objective reasoning with purely emotional responses. Doing so will often lead to the selection and implementation of “solutions” that don’t actually solve the problem and have a potential to mask symptoms and other information important to the problem-solving effort.

Solutions to crisis situations need to take into account both long and short-term efficacy and impact considerations. Structured problem-solving techniques include methods for objective evaluation of alternatives to guide decision making.

Perception on how you handled the situation

Normal business problems rarely make the news (thankfully) but a leader guiding his/her company through crisis will be subject to play-by-play commentary and instant replays that would rival a professional sporting event. Every action and decision will be questioned and every nuanced statement critiqued for hidden meaning. Regardless of the outcome, it is the perception of how the crisis is handled that becomes the leader and company’s legacy.

An important (and often overlooked) aspect of structured problem-solving is communication. What the company communicates and when plays a large role in shaping customer and stakeholder perceptions on how critical the situation is, whether leaders have it under control, and can inspire confidence in their continued business relationships with the company. Crisis situations require far more sophisticated and deliberate communication plans than normal operations.

It is highly likely that your company will (at some point in its existence) find itself in a crisis situation. Planning ahead along with the application of structured problem-solving techniques could make the difference between success and failure. The problem-solving experts at Kepner-Tregoe understand this and have been helping companies just like yours navigate crisis situations for over 60 years. Don’t wait for the crisis to occur to ask for help.

KT can help your leaders and organizations develop the skills they need for crisis preparedness.

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8 Soft Skills Every Crisis Manager Needs For Maximum Effect

Aaron marks.

November 5, 2020
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The previous post by Erik Anez, How To Calculate Critical Risks Within Your Organization , demonstrates the role that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and understanding play in developing crisis management skills and being an effective Crisis Manager. Those hard skills help answer the “why” questions that justify preparedness, response, and recovery decisions within the context of crises.

STEM can start to flesh out the “how” as well.

There are a growing number of training and education programs out there for individuals interested in learning more about Crisis Management. Most of those offerings will have STEM components of one type or another. Those programs also introduce softer skills such as communications and critical thinking to round out their offerings. Personally, I think that those soft skills play as much of a role in determining the success of a Crisis Manager as understanding math and systems engineering.

The soft skills that make for a great Crisis Manager

There are a core set of personality traits and soft skills that are essential for being successful in crisis management. These traits are present in all of us to one extent or another, but they can and should be enhanced through conscious effort and practice.

Let’s take a look at this soft skills and why they’re so essential for Crisis Ready® success.

Soft Skill 1: Humility

Humility is the core trait necessary for success as a Crisis Manager. It grounds an individual’s understanding of their capabilities, capacity, and the limitations of their knowledge and skills. It reminds us that we do not know or understanding everything—that there may be better answers to a question or better solutions to a situation. Answers and solutions that may even be found with or by someone far younger or less experienced.

On a personal level, holding yourself to a standard of absolute perfection is more common than it should be in our chosen field. “They only have to get it right once to win. We have to get it right 100% of the time,” is a common catchphrase in incident and crisis management. That attitude is a guaranteed path to pain and loss.

A good Crisis Manager recognizes that perfection is not obtainable and that we can, and will, make mistakes. This is especially true as Crisis Management is mostly a high-stress, high-speed discipline. It is a rare day that we get to operate in a routine task environment, responding to a different constellation of threat, response, and recovery every time. Adding irregular working schedules and the requirement to maintain day-to-day activities and managing the crisis further compounds the risk of error.

Remembering that we are limited by our education and training

Professionally, we must recognize that however specialized the Crisis Management role is within our organizations, Crisis Managers are extremely limited by our education and training. Crisis Management, as an area of academic study, is still in its early childhood, if not infancy. Training programs are frequently vocational in nature, supplementing other more formal training and education with the expectation that additional learning will continue in the field. The biggest drawback of this type of piecemeal education is a lack of understanding of the real complexities of crisis management, the vast number of interdependencies that exist in modern society, and respective strategies for managing disruptions to those systems. Significant gaps may be present in a Crisis Manager’s knowledge and understanding if they only experience a specific type or expression of those disruptions.

Humility is a beneficial trait when we assume our role as Crisis Managers within a broader organizational framework. Crisis Managers frequently operate under very irregular circumstances, sometimes as “other duties as assigned” or with ad-hoc teams based on available resources at the moment. We often find ourselves with limited support for extended periods while leadership and the rest of our organizations deal with what they believe to be more critical issues.

Other roles within our organizations have their own specialized knowledge, different resources and plans, and an entirely different set of priorities. It is essential to keep these different backgrounds and priorities in mind when interacting with other professionals. There is a critical role for Crisis Managers to play in protecting an organization and supporting both business and operational continuity. We must be careful to recognize the limits of our experiences and knowledge. With humility, we can isolate our ego from the equation and focus on the organization.

Soft Skill 2: Courage

Intellectual courage is based upon a willingness to challenge any idea, especially those which are strongly supported or rejected. No concept should be beyond questioning. Every idea or assumption should be challenged to ensure that it stands up to scrutiny. Having the courage to challenge deep-seated ideas allows us to continually grow and evolve the discipline of Crisis Management. That evolution ensures that only concepts determined to be constructive, effective, and applicable to the current environment remain in the Crisis Management mindset.

In day-to-day operations, Crisis Managers must be willing to assess whether their efforts are beneficial, unnecessary, or possibly harmful to the organization. They should also have the courage to ask a question of other Crisis Managers , to confirm the course of action to be followed or to better understand a concept or idea. This courage allows a multi-faceted approach toward crisis management.

Soft Skill 3: Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand another’s thoughts, perspective, or situation. This is accomplished by seeing things from their perspective. Empathy is a vital component of crisis management, allowing the Crisis Manager to take in other viewpoints and understand different perspectives. This is key in seeking to understand another’s idea or trying to persuade them of the value of your own.

An effective Crisis Manager remembers that there were times in the past when they held points of view that turned out to be incorrect, but stubbornly held on to those beliefs because they were more familiar or comfortable. Sometimes changing your own mind can be more challenging than changing another’s. That process can take time while requiring a significant amount of patience and empathy.

Practically, we should extend this empathy to our internal customers, fellow Crisis Managers, and other professionals. It is essential to see each crisis as unique and worthy of an individual approach. However standardized a crisis management plan might be, situations where they are activated are often chaotic and disturbing for those directly affected by the disruption. A good Crisis Manager recognizes that and can adjust their approach within a planning framework based on their understanding of those points of view.

Crisis management professionals are often judged harshly and second-guessed for making rapid decisions. Those judgments are frequently made without an understanding of their background or the specific situation that was being faced. It is easy to judge when far removed from a problem, especially when possessing more knowledge or experience. Those judgments are especially unfair when the final outcome is known.

Empathizing with our fellow Crisis Managers (and maybe applying some humility) allows us to better assess how we might have handled the same situation at a similar time in our career. This is crucial when engaging with younger, less experienced Crisis Managers, who have not had the same opportunities to develop experience or expertise that we have had. Empathizing with peers and colleagues allows us to be more supportive, congratulating them on their successes and supporting them through their challenges.

Soft Skill 4: Autonomy

In the context of Crisis Management, autonomy entails the ability to freely ask questions, adjust perceptions, and challenge beliefs when met with new evidence or points of view. A Crisis Manager must be able to explore their thoughts and ideas to better understand them and synthesize new knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

To do so, there must be an environment where open, non-judgmental discussions can take place. Questions should be asked respectfully and with the intent to learn, challenging without confronting or judging an individual’s actions or choices. In return, answers should be similarly academic, seeking to expand the questioner’s understanding rather than questioning the validity of the question itself.

Soft Skill 5: Integrity

Integrity in Crisis Management means that we consistently test our current views with the same standards applied to new or competing theories. It is easy to fall into the bias of personal experience and dismiss new ideas. Similarly, individuals can jump to new evidence too quickly without having adequately tested it against current thinking.

Crisis Managers who have used a skill or strategy for an extended period may defend it despite evidence that it is ineffective or the introduction of a new, better approach towards addressing a challenge. Integrity allows a Crisis Manager to assess the effectiveness of each decision made or action taken, especially in the face of questions or challenges.

Soft Skill 6: Perseverance

Crisis Management is not an individual skill acquired overnight. Like any other complex discipline, it must be applied repeatedly and under varying conditions to develop expertise. A good Crisis Manager will persevere through challenging situations and questions to arrive at viable solutions, accepting when the end course of action is different than what they initially expected.

Crisis Management is a series of skills that requires persistence and perseverance. Time and patience are needed to develop a solid foundational understanding and hone the necessary practical and cognitive skills. Perseverance is an important trait for both novice and experienced practitioners to recognize how much time it takes to become proficient and how much effort it takes to maintain that proficiency.

Soft Skill 7: Fairmindedness

Intellectual fairmindedness comes from considering every viewpoint, concept, or idea fairly. It does not mean that all positions or opinions have the same merits, but that they are worth consideration. Crisis Managers need to maintain an open mind when it comes to ideas that we experience. There are always multiple potential courses of action in response to any situation. We cannot identify the best one without fair consideration of each idea. Applying some integrity, we can test each option equally and determine its merits and shortcomings.

Soft Skill 8: Confidence in Reason

This final trait, confidence in reason, may be the most difficult to establish, grow, and maintain. Intellectually, it is the idea that similar conclusions will be reached by multiple people through the application of reason, or that we will change our own minds when faced with a better concept or more substantial evidence. With the right guidance, Crisis Managers will develop their knowledge and approaches toward situations to better their individual career and organizational care.

Practically and professionally, confidence in reason allows us an approach or worldview where things will continue to improve. Daily frustration can be mitigated by remembering that Crisis Management is a young discipline, and a lot of the challenges currently faced can be considered to be growing pains. As the role of a Crisis Manager continues to develop and solidify, those discomforts will resolve as we raise awareness of issues, create beneficial strategies and methodologies, and replace ineffective ones.

In addition to confidence in reason, we must have confidence in our peers, trusting that they are also working to improve their personal and professional skills. We should be willing to share our insights with them and open our minds to the wisdom that they might provide in turn.

Honing and fine-tuning these crisis management soft skills

As I mentioned at the start of this post, these soft skills are all learnable and are our responsibility, as Crisis Managers, to strengthen within ourselves. Doing this, requires the ability and commitment to self-reflect, self-assess (without judgement) and self-improve.

With that in mind, let me leave you with this honest reflection: How many of these soft skills do you currently possess and excel at, and which ones tend to be more challenging points that can use improvement?

The Critical Thinking Community. Valuable Intellectual Traits [Internet]. [cited 2020 October 30]. Available from: https://community.criticalthinking.org/libraryforeveryone.php .

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Aaron Marks is a Senior Principal with Dynamis, Inc. where he supports clients across the domestic National and Homeland Security communities and international public safety enterprise. He provides operational and subject matter expertise in intelligence analysis and targeting, disaster preparedness, crisis and incident management, and continuity of operations for healthcare related concerns. Aaron has provided in-depth review, assessment, and analysis for technology, policy, and operational programs impacting all levels of government. He is a recognized authority on the application of nontraditional techniques and methodologies to meet the unique requirements of training, evaluation, and analytic games and exercise for the National and Homeland Security communities.

Prior to joining Dynamis, Aaron was the Director of Operations for a commercial ambulance and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider in western New York State where he participated in the integration of commercial EMS and medical transportation resources into the local Trauma System. During his 30-year career Aaron has worked in almost every aspect of EMS except fleet services. This includes experience in Hazardous Materials and Tactical Medicine, provision of prehospital care in urban, suburban, rural, and frontier environments, and acting as a team leader for both ground and aeromedical Critical Care Transport Teams.

Aaron is a Master Exercise Practitioner and received a B.A. in Psychology from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. He is also a Nationally Registered Paramedic and currently practices as an Assistant Chief with the Amissville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Amissville Virginia.

Filed under: Crisis Ready , Critical Thought , Leadership Development

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Brian Kinch

Brian is an internationally recognised risk professional. He has over 35 years of experience, predominately discharging roles in domestic and international financial services businesses, including senior roles with HSBC, Visa International and Lloyds Banking Group. He has additional consulting expertise in areas such as insurance, telecommunications, the public sector and across industries in a risk, authentication, data protection, cyber, continuity and resilience context. Furthermore, he has held senior positions with the decision management and analytic giant FICO (Fair Isaac) where he was the principal risk practitioner, and both led their global fraud consulting and was a leading contributor to their enterprise risk roadmap.

Brian is an innovator and thought leader and has co-authored potential patents in the first party fraud and payment tokenisation space. He was a founder of the Mobile Identity Authentication Standard (MIDAS) Alliance, a collaboration of Information Security professionals, which was responsible for the creation of the Publicly Available Specification (PAS 499) for digital authentication by the British Standards Institution, a seminal piece of work in preparation for the implications of the European Payment Services Directive 2.

He is also a leading figure for both the Business Continuity Institute where he founded what has become two of the UK Chapters, and where he remains on the management committee, and the Institute of Strategic Risk Management where he has roles on the Global Advisory Council and as Chair of the Oversight Committee.

Brian co-founded with his brother, almost a decade ago, his own firm, Knight360 Limited, where he acts as a dedicated security advisor and risk practitioner, enjoying helping clients embrace and overcome their greatest business challenges. The company specialises in areas of business development and regulatory compliance activity and offers a raft of business consulting and partner solution services including with and through GDS Link, a client of Knight360’s which Brian has gone on to serve as Managing Director in their Global Fraud Solutions area, and where he has been independently recognised as Managing Director of the Year 2022.

Currently Brian is also retained on an equity basis as Chief Advisor to KM2 Ethical Finance Ltd, a firm where he was the founding Chief Executive Officer and was independently awarded as one of the CEOs of the Year in 2021. The KM2 business is vested in assuring the robust identification and considered remediation of misappropriated losses which sit at the nexus of bad-debt and fraud.

Throughout his career Brian has proven equally adept at working alone, leading a small team, or overseeing multi-geography operations involving well over 1,000 people.

Maxine Herr

Maxine Herr has served as Public Information Officer for Morton County in North Dakota since 2017. She started her career as a TV news reporter and anchor for the CBS affiliate in Bismarck, ND before moving to Phoenix, AZ where she worked in marketing roles for a media company and a national engineering firm. After returning to North Dakota in 2009, she did freelance writing and public relations consulting. Maxine joined the North Dakota Emergency Management Support Team in 2016 and has helped lead communication efforts for a 234-day pipeline protest, regional flooding, and the state’s COVID-19 response. Maxine’s favorite thing about her 25-year career is finding ways to communicate effectively with creativity. Maxine is married and any gray hairs can be attributed to raising her three teenagers.

Master Sgt. US Army (retired)

Rob Keller was retired from the U.S. Army when he received a call from the ND Department of Emergency Services (NDDES) to return to full time Public Information Officer status to work a “small protest happening in southern Morton County” that would probably fizzle out in 2-3 months.” Nine months later he returned to retirement status. During the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protest, Rob was the lead Public Information Officer for the Morton County Sheriff Department and the ND Department of Emergency Services Joint Information Center. Rob and his team of over 15 PIOs worked over 500 media engagements during the 234-day protest that garnished the attention of the world.

“This was the most challenging and rewarding position that I have ever been involved in my entire career. I felt that I was the “right person in the right place at the right time for the right reasons.”

Rob’s previous career positions had in effect prepared him for his last public affairs mission.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Television Journalism, was a TV news reporter, TV anchor, a community relations officer for a police department, a television producer, marketing and advertising for the U.S. Army, worked multiple FEMA disasters in North Dakota to include floods, wildfires, snow storms and a Canadian Pacific railroad anhydrous ammonia spill. Not to mention during his 26-year Army career, he was deployed on two public affairs missions to Iraq, five PIO missions to Ghana, Africa and working with twelve Killed In Action (KIA) soldiers and their families.

He was the Deputy PIO for the ND COVID-19 response and formed a 50-persom Joint Information Center staff within two weeks.

He has been a FEMA Crisis Communication trainer for over 10 years having trained over 600 PIO practitioners.

Far from retiring, Rob and his colleague co-founded the ND Public Information Officer (NDPIO) Association this past year (2021). The 501c3 is a nonprofit statewide organization made up of professional communicators who work in local, state, tribal, federal, or other public safety venues. This organization is dedicated to the principles of open government.

Rob has left Morton County and back to semi-retirement but is training Public Information Officers from multiple agencies who may have a need for crisis communication and for their agency to be “Crises Ready”. He is married with a very understanding wife, a son who is following in his footsteps as a career military man and a daughter who is a “stay at home” mom. He has five grandchildren that now take up his entire time. He is also an “adventure motorcycle rider” who has traveled on journeys across Canada to the Arctic Ocean, South American and everything in between.

Mike Todd is the founder and CEO of Near-Life. He has experience in media and technology. Beginning his career in digital content, he has also worked in film and television: creating internationally acclaimed feature documentaries for the likes of BBC, ESPN and PBS.

Digital Training Solutions (now trading as Near-Life) was established in 2016 around an NGO learning project (Mission Ready), funded through the United States Aid department and the UK equivalent. The project garnered international recognition and its success prompted an invitation for Mike to speak at the UN World Humanitarian Summit, as well as to the UN in New York.

A related project, developed with the Norwegian Refugee Council, was recognised for 'Excellence in Learning Design' at the Learning and Technology Awards - Europe's top EdTech awards. He has extensive experience in dealing with the resilience and responder communities. He most recently led the delivery of a major immersive learning / Tech project with the World Health Organization’s Emergency Medical Teams programme.

About the Inaugural Membership Feedback

As we get this membership off the ground, we’re looking to our 2022 inaugural members to be a part of helping us strengthen and tailor this program to meet your needs.

This will involve regular communication with the Crisis Ready Team to provide feedback, share requests for additional ways to support you and your business, etc.

About the Crisis Ready Courses

Each Crisis Ready Course is designed to help you strengthen your Crisis Ready® Expertise. Course subjects will include crisis communication, establishing governance, crisis leadership, storytelling for crisis comms, DEI integration, and more.

Each course is complete with:

Anywhere from 4-15 hours of virtual learning that you can do at your own pace
Knowledge tests
Worksheets and resources to help you bring these valuable learnings and use them within your client work (applicable solely to those who have the license through this membership)
A Certificate Of Completion upon successful completion of each course

Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World (Bulk Purchase)

Opportunity for individualized coaching and support.

Sometimes feel as though you’re in over your head with your clients’ issue and crisis management needs
Could use support and coaching to help you prepare for and have business development discussions with prospective clients
Wish you had more behind-the-scenes support as you serve and support your clients
Would benefit from personalized coaching and support as you take your Crisis Ready skills and services to the next level...

... then you will benefit from Crisis Ready Institute's 1:1 coaching and support. This opportunity is retainer-based and is offered exclusively to our consultant and small agency members.

This offering provides personalized coaching and support in:

Managing client issues and crises as they arise. We support you as you support your clients so that you can feel confident in the recommendations and advice you provide.
Integrating the Crisis Ready Model into your business and client work.
Helping you strategize business development conversations and close more deals.
Gaining buy-in from existing clients. We can be your frontward-facing partner or remain behind-the-scenes, whatever the situation calls for.

Two Packages Available:

Monthly retainer* Hours of support per month

$2,500 USD Up to 5

$5,000 USD Up to 10

* This is in addition to the annual membership fee.

Danny Langloss

Danny Langloss is a dynamic leadership motivational speaker specializing in creating leadership cultures, employee engagement, ownership, belonging, change leadership, and crisis leadership.

Danny’s leadership has been tested by the most difficult situations. Global pandemics, leading the City of Dixon back from the $54 million Rita Crundwell theft, homicide investigations, hostage situations, school shooter incidents, major legislative reform, and creating high performing cultures across very difficult professions are just some of the leadership challenges Danny and his teams have overcome in their pursuit of excellence. Danny has applied these skills to create great teams across many different leadership roles, including city manager, police chief, state task force chairman, legislative initiatives, not-for-profits, and private organizations.

Paul Damaren

Paul Damaren has worked as a Senior Executive in the Certification space for 17 years and has over 35 years’ experience in the hospitality, service and retail agri-food sectors. Damaren is skilled in sales, marketing, certification, operations and software applications. He possesses an MBA from McGill University.

Mr. Damaren is experienced managing full P&L and $100M in global sales. Across his career he has built a reputation as a professional undeterred by obstacles and committed to success. He is skilled in cultivating top performing teams that always exceed organizational objectives and is able to lead organizations out of challenges through improvement initiatives and change management. He is an expert in relationship building strategies to ensure metrics are always met or surpassed and is a technologically savvy professional that thrives with constantly evolving environments and guides growth with clear visions.

Damaren has worked with countless clients for their food safety, supply chain, health & wellness, brand protection, quality, environmental, health & safety, GMP, automotive, aerospace, medical and information technology requirements.

Damaren is a board member of the OFPA, Ontario Food Protection Association and has assumed the position of Treasurer for 2022. He is a current Advisory Council Member with The George Washington University, School of Business for their Digital Marketing Certificate Program. Mr. Damaren is also a Partner and CCO of StepUp Learning Company Inc., a consulting and advisory business. Further, Damaren also maintains an Executive Partner position with ReposiTrak, a global software company that provides an integrated platform for optimizing sales, sourcing & safety in the food supply chain.

Before working in the Certification industry, Damaren was a professional Chef/consultant for 20+ years working in major hotel chains, restaurants, private golf courses and food service organizations such as Aramark. Further, Damaren was a member of the National Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks (C.F.C.C.) for 14 years, member of the Region of Waterloo Culinary Association (R.W.C.A.) for 14 years, President of R.W.C.A. (Region of Waterloo Culinary Association) for 3 years, special Events chairman - R.W.C.A. – 1998 – 2000 and National Culinary Ambassador to Russia for 5 years.

Tarisa Shelton

Tarisa Shelton was born and raised in Arizona. She graduated with a Bachelors's in design studies and management from Arizona State University in 2015. After graduation, she traveled to multiple countries to try and learn from different cultures and perspectives. With being excited by what the world had to offer, she taught English in South Korea to elementary students for a little over a year.

After traveling and teaching in Korea, she worked as a production manager at an animation studio in DC. During that time, she committed herself to learning as much about finances as humanly possible. Through that journey, she found infinite banking, in 2018. Since then, she's been helping clients, family, friends implement this process to fundamentally set a financial foundation that is unshakable and sets them up for success not only today but for generations to come.

Emmie Saavedra

Emmie Saavedra is the President and Co-Founder of The Champions Institute, where she leads teams of expert coaches, trainers and consultants on Sales, Communication and Extreme Leadership. With more than 30 years in the medical and dental industries, and over a decade in entrepreneurship, her strengths lie in building deep relationships, elevating personal and team performance, and empowering strong leadership. She is an award-winning Certified Trainer and Coach with Codebreaker Technologies and masterfully trains the B.A.N.K. Methodology to teams and entrepreneurs to produce astronomical results, top revenues, and trusting relationships. Emmie is committed to empowering others to achieve phenomenal success both in life and in business because she believes that both are tightly integrated and hold the KEY to living a fulfilling and joyful life.

Cathy Compton, HALL OF FAME CHAMPIONSHIP COACH

Cathy Compton truly is a coach of Champions. For over 20 years, Cathy has been coaching championship teams and building empowering leaders. With an extensive background in coaching world class athletes, Cathy has worked with, coached, and consulted top level CEO’s, corporate executives, Olympic Athletes, business owners, Major League Baseball players, and other elite professionals who are committed to peak performance. Cathy ranks as one of the most successful college coaches in NCAA Softball history and is a member of two college Halls of Fame. Her expertise is building winning teams, developing empowered leaders, and training top performers how to better communicate and collaborate for optimal results.

Career Highlights Include:

Overall Coaching record 410-130 ranking her as one of the top winningest coaches in NCAA history
15 winning seasons over 15 years as a Head College Coach
Built the LSU softball program achieving a top 10 national ranking in her first two years leading the program
Coached professional Women’s Softball (Durham Dragons) Durham S.C.
Has coached All-Americans, Olympic athletes, and professional athletes across multiple sports
Member of 2 College Softball Halls of Fame
Built and managed Corporate wellness programs for America Online, Motorola, 3 Com, EMC, Netscape and Netpark
Co-founder of Youphoria, A Wellness based, weight loss company
Performance Coach for CEO’s, Olympic athletes, business owners, and Major League Baseball players
Author of “Empowered Women” an Amazon Best-Seller

Certification/Awards:

Body Code & Emotion Code Certified Trainer
Extreme Leadership Coach/Trainer (Steve Farber)
Bankcode Technologies Coach and Certified Trainer
BANK Blueprint ICON award - Codebreaker Technologies

Pragya Dubey

Pragya Dubey is Vice President, Global Services & Media Analytics at Agility PR Solutions. Pragya has over 20 years of industry experience in consulting and executing public relations, communications, and media measurement programs. She has worked with a range of clients representing Fortune 500 companies, federal, provincial, and municipal government divisions, and small to medium sized businesses. The key focus of her work has been in tracking companies’ communication activities to measure, and correlate and connect how these activities are impacting business objectives. Pragya’s approach includes educating, consulting, problem solving for clients, and creating solutions that are objective-based programs with defined success metrics.

Pragya has taught at the Ottawa-based Algonquin College’s public relations program and given guest lecture at Carleton University. She was the speaker at the Public Relations Society of America's (PRSA) 2020 annual conference on the topic of measurement. She actively conducts measurement-related webinars for Agility PR Solutions and other PR forums.

Liam Kelly has worked in the field of church communications in the Catholic Church for more than forty years, including time in the Vatican and in London at the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Since 2002 he has been working in the Abbot’s office at Ampleforth Abbey.

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Crisis Ready Governance Audit (Have experts review and provide feedback on your Crisis Ready Governance Structure)

1:1 Consultation (45-minute one-on-one consultation time with a member of the Crisis Ready Team, after the live event)

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Shawna Bruce

Shawna Bruce is a seasoned strategic communicator and trainer with 30 years of crisis communications, public information and public affairs experience and a passion for public safety.

After serving in the Canadian Forces as a Public Affairs Officer (27 years) and working in the petrochemical industry at Dow Canada as their national Public Affairs Manager (8 years), Shawna began putting her focus into crisis communication, community preparedness, public information and emergency management training when she began her own consulting business: M.D. Bruce and Associates Ltd in 2019.

Shawna considers herself "a life-long learner" and is a leader who specializes in developing teams and sharing her knowledge and experience on the critical role of public information in emergency management with an emphasis on how communications support operational objectives.

A self-identified "Master of Disaster" (RRU MA DEM) Shawna's goal is to support emergency managers and DEMs identify opportunities to communicate throughout all phases of an emergency management program, and works to prepare communications teams to respond in an emergency setting.

Currently, Shawna is also a part-time instructor for NAIT’s Disaster and Emergency Management program (Disaster and Crisis Communications), supports co-instructing the Public Information Officer course as part of NAIT's Centre of Applied Disaster and Emergency Management IMT Academy, develops curriculum for delivery in post-secondary school and Continuing Education programs and is the Public Member on the Board of Directors at NR CAER - a mutual aid emergency response organization in Alberta's Industrial Heartland.

An engaging speaker and trainer, Shawna delivers workshops for risk and crisis communications, emergency public information, how to use public notification systems effectively, on-camera media awareness training, and spokesperson training for industry, municipalities, organizations, first responders and anyone who is looking to build the skill sets of their teams to respond to fill the need of crisis communications and public information.

🍎 School district communicator @ Stoughton Area School District.

🏙 Belmont University grad.

Melanie Litten

Media • Social Media • Public Relations • Nonprofit Director

Mark Hobden

Currently employed as the Director of Operations Support with Bidvest Noonan.

Having worked on several high profile contracts at Management level, I am a results driven and self-motivated professional. A wealth of practical security experience within the security industry and HM Forces. Well developed presentation and communication skills at all levels. Proven planning, organisational and administrative abilities.

Lorelei Russell

Employee Services provides Compensation, Benefits and Wellness services to over 8000 employees represented by 14 Collective Agreements and professional associations.

Jan Walther

I bring the most value when I'm given a "blank sheet" opportunity to develop solutions for complex, multifaceted, consumer-focused challenges. I am most passionate about identifying or creating opportunities to increase engagement, visibility, and revenue.

Understanding and advocating for memorable consumer experiences is at the heart of what I bring to any opportunity. While providing leadership and strategic vision is what I do best, focusing on what is relevant and important to target consumers is essential.

I am passionate about building brands that drive consumer insistence and loyalty. My experience in developing brands ranges from the core of strategy building and story creation to tactical activation and data assessment to measure success.

Whether leading enterprise integrated marketing strategies, creating content, or developing relationships as a business partner, I am a visionary and results-oriented collaborator with extensive experience in metrics-driven, brand-focused marketing and communications.

As an outstanding innovator, communicator, and relationship builder, my expertise in translating business objectives into strategies have proven to grow revenue and engagement especially in large organizations in which local market integration is essential.

My leadership style is based on a true coaching philosophy that encourages growth and trust for all team members. I am a highly-effective, hands-on team leader who enthusiastically influences and motivates teams to meet complex business challenges.

Angelica Montagano

I specialize in communications (corporate, internal and external), digital and content marketing, brand awareness and reputation and public relations. I’ve advised individuals and businesses (small and large) on what steps they need to take to reach their target audience.

If you need help with content marketing strategy (blog writing, podcasting, YouTube), strategic communications strategies (internal communications, crisis communications, corporate communications), public relations, lead generation or even team building and relationship management – then please feel free to reach out to me.

Amy McKenzie

Passionate communications professional with a diverse experience in public relations, social media, and leadership.

Patrick Campion

Founder of Preparedness Advisors LLC. I am an experienced emergency management and homeland security professional focused on providing innovative strategy and data analysis solutions, streamlined project management support, and straightforward consultation. Please visit the Preparedness Advisors website: www.preparednessadvisors.com for more information.

Elle Arlook

Elle Arlook serves as APCO’s Deputy Advisor on Equity & Justice and a senior associate director in the Corporate Communications practice. Elle has a depth of experience counseling clients through transformation rooted in efforts to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. She has counseled clients through challenges that range from responding to external societal crises to racial discrimination lawsuits and boycotts. Her background includes experiences that sit at the intersection of DE&I and traditional corporate communications, stakeholder relationship development, non-profit strategic counsel, media relations and crisis management. Her clients have included one of the world's largest global health companies and household names such as Walgreens, Walmart, National Urban League, CarMax, and the University of North Carolina System's Racial Equity Taskforce.

David Meerman Scott

I was fired. Sacked. My ideas were a little too radical for my new bosses. So I started writing books, speaking at events and advising emerging companies. That was in 2002 and since then my books have sold over a million copies in 29 languages.

Many new forms of social media have burst onto the scene over the years, including blogs, podcasts, video, virtual communities, Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Instagram, and many many others. But what’s the same about all the new Web tools and techniques is that together they are the best way to communicate directly with your marketplace.

My latest Wall Street Journal bestselling book "Fanocracy: Turning Fans into Customers and Customers into Fans" released from Portfolio / Penguin Random House. I wrote Fanocracy with my 26 year old daughter Reiko. The book is about Fandom culture and how any business can grow by cultivating fans.

My 2007 book "The New Rules of Marketing & PR" opened people's eyes to the new realities of marketing and public relations on the Web. Six months on the BusinessWeek bestseller list and now in a 7th edition with 400,000 copies sold in more than 29 languages from Albanian to Vietnamese, "New Rules" is now a modern business classic.

My other international bestsellers include "Real-Time Marketing & PR" and "Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead" (written with HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan) and my most recent books are "The New Rules of Sales & Service", and "Marketing the Moon" (written with Richard Jurek and with a foreword from Gene Cernan, the last man on the moon and now being made into a film).

I'm Go-to-Market LP at Stage 2 Capital where I invest in and advise some of the most promising new businesses in the world. I'm a co-founder and Partner in Signature Tones, a sonic branding studio.

I serve as an advisor and investor in emerging companies that are transforming their industries by delivering disruptive products and services.

Pre-pandemic, I delivered keynote speeches at in-person conferences and company meetings all over the world. Now I focus on virtual events.

Katie Nelson

I am the Social Media + Public Relations Coordinator for the Mountain View Police Department in northern California. I specialize in social media management, speaking across the country on social media best practices, crisis communications and forming positive working relationships between law enforcement and the media.

Before joining MVPD, I worked as a public safety reporter for papers including the San Jose Mercury News, the East Bay Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. Published nationally, I was an award-winning journalist for my breaking news coverage of the Asiana Airlines crash at San Francisco International Airport and my investigative work on the state Department of Social Services led to major legislative reform to protect elderly residents in California.

Lisa Manyoky

With over 30 years of communication, branding, marketing and entrepreneurial expertise in my hip pocket, I understand people, interpersonal dynamics, motivation, expression, business—and words, especially words!

I can't resist the chance to help professionals figure out if what they're putting out there—whether you can see it, hear it, read it or feel it—is getting them where they want to go OR if where they are is where they should be. I look for that delicious sweet spot of what they WANT to do, ARE BUILT to do and ARE MEANT to do. Then, I determine if their “message” is working for them, fix it if it needs fixing, adjust the volume so their world can hear them, and make a plan that helps them keep on keepin’ on as they stretch toward their goals.

As a career entrepreneur, founder of Presence Intelligence™, and licensed, specialty-certified coach with a neuroscience focus (wow!), I blend an understanding of brainpower, behavior, aesthetics and communication with business smarts to help professionals...

identify what makes them tick
find their "fit"—personally and professionally
strengthen and make good use of their natural assets
develop their one-of-a-kind presence that’s true to who they really are
refine communications to reflect who they are and draw in resources and people right for them
improve perception and reception
become excellent (or more excellent than they already are)
shape lives in important ways
get remembered for something great by those who matter to them.

I am a bit of a firecracker who champions self-mastery, integrity, personal best and kindness. I am the consummate wordsmith with an energetic style, a quick wit and an expansive mindset. I am direct but diplomatic, dynamic and funny. I also have a very big heart.

Lewis Werner

My mission is to cultivate proactively safer communities.

Proactive risk management makes people less stressed, more comfortable, happier, and more productive. Cultivating proactive security operations desrisks and accelerates human progress, raising quality of life for everyone.

I cultivate proactively safer communities by arming Security Professionals with the data they've been missing for decades. Operations, Finance, Marketing & Supply Chain have been building metrics and KPIs based on real-time process control, outcomes, and projections. Security, especially physical security, has been left with: "Monthly Incidents and Annual Budget".

If you HAVE data, you can measure it. If you MEASURE data, you can IMPROVE it. I started Quill Security to provide risk data for security professionals.

Quill Security is building the inevitable future of the security industry. When you embrace risk data, you will:

Earn your seat at the table with answers instead of assurances.
Communicate clearly with non-security stakeholders to achieve buy-in.
Spend less time debating and more time taking PROACTIVE ACTION.
Know your measure of success and unambiguously achieve it.

Nothing like Quill has ever existed before. Protect your community with the future of security.

Alliancé Babunga

Alliancé [pronounced “aliya-n-say”] comes with a background in politics, leadership and education which speaks to her passion for people and positive change. Through her experiences she has learned first-hand the importance of having a unique voice, the value of authentic communication, being relatable with one's audiences, establishing relationships and working collaboratively to get things done.

She has worked in multiple political campaigns; a highlight being the successful election of two city councilors, one Member of Parliament and one Prime Minister.

As a crisis communications enthusiast, she came to the realization that the traditional crisis preparedness plan does not meet the demands and needs of today—the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath demonstrated the extent of this truth. She sought for a more proactive approach that would empower leaders and organizations to readily take on the new evolving challenges. It is her curiosity that grounded her interest in pursuit of crisis communication and led her to the Crisis Ready® Institute.

In 2020 and 2021, Alliancé grew her career with the Crisis Ready® Institute as the Marketing and Community Manager. Her portfolio included building and strengthening the Institute’s brand reach, visibility and engagement, and fostering the growth of the Crisis Ready® Community .

Alliancé holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of British Columbia, studied Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies at Uppsala University in Sweden, and recently completed the Public Relations Certificate program at Simon Fraser University.

Alliancé serves as Events Manager in the British Columbia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Regional VP Administration in the British Columbia chapter of the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) as well as Public Policy Coordinator on a Partisan National Women’s Commission.

Lisa DuBrock

Lisa has 20+ years both in Management of fortune 100 firms and in the Management Consulting Business. She specializes in security both physical and logical. Lisa utilizes a myriad of methodologies based on her clients needs, including: ISO 27001, ISO 20000, ISO 9001, ISO 22301, ANSI/ASIS-SPC.1, ANSI/ASIS-PSC.1 and ISO 18788.

She has a CPA, a CBCP (Certified Business Continuity Professional), and an MBCI.

Lisa teaches at George Mason University in their PTAC and she sits on the ASIS Standards and Guidelines Commission developing ANSI accredited standards.

Prior to becoming a Managing Partner at Radian Compliance, LLC, Lisa spent a number of years at Discover Card, where she held positions such as National Director Cardmember Service, National Director Business Continuity, Bank Operations and Regulatory Compliance and she assisted on the launch of their credit card in the UK market.

Her goals are to grow her own firm, Radian Compliance, LLC, over the next 5 years.

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Melissa Agnes

Founder and ceo, crisis ready institute.

Recognized globally as an expert, thought-leader and visionary in the field of crisis management.
Has worked with global players, including NATO, the Pentagon (DoD), Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, financial firms, technology companies, healthcare organizations, cities and municipalities, law enforcement agencies, aviation organizations, global non-profits, etc.
Author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World—ranked amongst the leading crisis management books of all time and named as one of the top ten business books of 2018 by Forbes.
Creator of the Crisis Ready ® Model–which is recognized and being taught as leading industry best practice in universities and higher education curriculums around the world, including at Harvard University.
Sits on the panel tasked with developing the International Standard for Crisis Management— ISO 22361, Guidelines for developing a strategic capability.
Visiting scholar at D’Youville University, where she co-created and co-teaches a Crisis Ready Program for young college students.
Sits on Police Professional Standards, Ethics and Image Committee for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Global Advisor for The Institute for Strategic Risk Management (ISRM), a global player established to help progress and promote the underlying understanding and capabilities associated with strategic risk and crisis management on a global scale.
Leading international keynote speaker on the subject and TEDx alumna.
Founder of the Crisis Ready ® Community.

Build for a stronger tomorrow by strengthening your team’s skills in issue management, crisis management, and crisis communication.

Between the demands of our social impact economy, the divisiveness of society and the many other challenges in front of us, embedding a crisis ready culture is more important than ever before. Having a team that is trained, poised, and empowered to effectively respond to risk, controversy and other threats, will strengthen stakeholder relationships and increase the brand equity of your organization. This is a powerful opportunity. The Crisis Ready® Coaching Program is specifically designed to equip your team with the tools needed today for launching into a stronger tomorrow.

Effectively manage through today’s challenges with the help of a diverse group of experts.

From best practices around re-opening, to diversity and inclusion, to managing through the impacts that 2020 has left on your business, the Crisis Ready® Coaching Program is designed to support you through the challenges of today, in order to recover faster and stronger for an even better tomorrow.

Gain strategic foresight into the coming months, giving you the tools you need to better anticipate and plan for a stronger future.

COVID-19 continues to affect a great majority of professionals and businesses, leaving them blindsided by its impact and all the uncertainty that came with it. The Crisis Ready® Coaching Program provides you with access to a diverse group of experts, each with unique areas of insight, to help provide you and your team with strengthened foresight to better anticipate and plan for both the risks and opportunities that lay ahead of us all.

Shireen Fabing

With almost twenty years of marketing experience, thirteen of which was spent in the telecom industry, Shireen brings with her an experience toolkit which includes marketing, public relations, communications, training & development, fundraising and project management.

She started her career in a PR agency and her portfolio included retail promotions and events as well as various high-profile projects for the City of Cape Town. This position came only a few short years after apartheid was lifted in South Africa and it is what she claims toughened her up for the real world. She built tenacity, resilience and grit in those early years and more importantly, learnt the importance of building contingencies around all events and programs.

When she made the move to Canada in 2002 to join her mom and siblings, she was mentally ready for the challenge of starting a new life. Circumstances found her back at school studying part time, working full time in the PR division of an ad agency, and volunteering for a not-for-profit benefitting at-risk youth. It was in this latter portion of her journey that she found a passion for Sponsorship Marketing & Special Events.

Accepting an entry level marketing position at a large Canadian telco to get her foot in the door, Shireen quickly gained not only the North American experience she was lacking, but also credibility with internal and external stakeholders, with her strongest suite being that she was always prepared for whatever would prove to come. She enjoyed getting to see some of Canada while showcasing some of the biggest concerts, festivals, theme park & sports activations, along with a multitude of innovative product launches.

The personal pride of her career was finding non-traditional sales venues where she successfully “married” marketing tactics and sales with a profitable outcome for the organization.

Shireen’s bio is not complete without talking about her boxing life. Initially she started the sport to help her create a work-life balance, however in 2013, when she was asked to compete in her first sanctioned charity bout, she humbly obliged.

The Fight to End Cancer was founded in 2011 and has donated over $1.5M to date in support of cancer research with proceeds going directly to support the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. This didn’t come as a shock to her family, friends or colleagues as they knew she’d be all in for training and fundraising! Training like a fighter was no different from the day-to-day boardroom she was used to - only with gloves, her self-motivation and a will to win! She was the first female corporate fighter to enter the ring for this annual event and with her opponent, they set the stage for future female bouts in coming years as they claimed bragging rights for “fight of the night”.

Today she continues to support the initiative, pursuing the sport as an amateur boxer and boxing coach allowing her to share her passion for the sport that found her.

Shireen spreads the word that she is living proof that you can do whatever you set your mind to, no matter what stage you’re at in life. Her personal mantra - strong is my beautiful - has turned into the driving force that is behind the self- proclaimed “Machine”.

Detective Frank Rivas

High Tech Professional with diverse,domestic and international background: Business Development, Operations Management, Program/Project Management, Partner Management, Process Improvement. Additional experience includes: asset and brand protection, threat/risk analysis.

Always interested in new challenges, dynamic work environment which provides intellectual stimulation and professional growth.

Specialties: Partner management, supply chain management, Operations Management, Latin American region, Public Safety, Risk/Threat Analysis, Leader / Talent Development

Peter Willis

My gift is to help individuals and groups of people think wider and deeper together than they might otherwise, especially about matters of critical importance. My current work is to help decision-makers reflect on, and learn from, their response to crisis.

Dr. Rafik Chaabouni

Specialities: Cryptography, Security, public key cryptography, range proof, set membership, certificate revocation.

Tom Compaijendion

Working on a future-proof crisis organization

✓ CRISIS MANAGEMENT IS CUSTOMIZATION A lot comes to your organization during a crisis. It is not always easy for employees to switch quickly from daily activities to the ‘crisis position’, with clearly defined roles, tasks, sharp processes and short consultations. Many employees are too little concerned with crisis on a daily basis to be really good at it. In short: crisis management is always tailor-made – and that is not always easy in a crisis situation, in which crisis consultations are often unstructured and go in all directions. I ensure that crisis organizations are better prepared for a crisis through advice, training, training and practice, so that they take the right actions more quickly, maintain confidence in the organization and thus prevent the crisis from becoming a ‘reputation crisis’.

✓ ANALYSIS AND YOUR ENVIRONMENT IN IMAGES A crisis places high demands on communication: the public and stakeholders expect a quick response (within an hour); the reaction must be visible among the thousands of messages on social media and one must take into account that the emotion wins over the ratio. I help organizations to set priorities and, in the midst of the complex playing field, to maintain good coordination with all stakeholders and to take on the role for which the organization is responsible.

✓ IMPACT ON YOUR ORGANIZATION In times of terrorism, (a growing number of) cyber attacks, coronavirus and other crises, knowledge of crisis management and crisis communication is crucial. After all, a crisis poses a risk of (image) damage. Most companies are therefore working on it, but despite the training, it turns out that it does not work well during an exercise. I guide and advise organizations in the transition to a more organized and partly automated information management system.

✓ROADMAP TO PERFECTION Compaijen Crisis Management and Communication has knowledge and experience at all levels: both national (Ministries), local (municipality of Amsterdam, security region) but also international (United Nations, EU consultation). As a trainer, I am one of the few with exceptional crisis experience. This allows me and we are able to convey a clear story with interesting cases and keep things simple. We always aim to make the organization truly better – and not just to complete training.

*Translated from Dutch

Andrea Bonime-Blanc

Andrea Bonime-Blanc, JD/PhD, is CEO and Founder of GEC Risk Advisory and a global governance, risk, ESG, ethics, cyber and crisis strategist, serving a broad cross-section of business, nonprofits, and government agencies. Since 2017, she has served as the Independent Ethics Advisor to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico.

Dr. Bonime-Blanc spent two decades as a c-suite global corporate executive at Bertelsmann, Verint, and PSEG overseeing legal, governance, risk, ethics, corporate responsibility, crisis management, compliance, audit, InfoSec and environmental health and safety, among other functions. She began her career as an international corporate lawyer at Cleary Gottlieb, was born and raised in Europe and is multi-lingual.

She serves on several Boards and Advisory Boards including Greenward Partners (a Spanish green energy firm), Ethical Intelligence (an EU-based AI ethics firm), ProtectedBy.AI (A US based AI cybersecurity firm), Epic Theatre Ensemble (a NYC nonprofit), the NACD New Jersey Chapter and NYU Stern-based think tank, Ethical Systems. She also serves as a Governance Mentor at Plug & Play Tech Centre, a global start-up eco-system. She is a NACD Board Leadership Fellow and Governance faculty and holds the Carnegie Mellon CERT Certification in Cyber-Risk Oversight.

Andrea is a global speaker, including at Davos, and appears regularly on Bloomberg TV, Yahoo Finance, Cheddar and other media. She is faculty at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs Masters program teaching “Cyber Leadership, Risk Oversight and Resilience”. She is an extensively published author of many articles and several books including The Reputation Risk Handbook, Emerging Practices in Cyber-Risk Governance and The Artificial Intelligence Imperative. Her latest book, Gloom to Boom: How Leaders Transform Risk into Resilience and Value (Routledge 2020) debuted as an Amazon #1 Hot Release in Business Ethics and Game Theory. She lives in New York City with her family and is an avid photographer and artist.

Marylène Ayotte

Marylene is a Life Transformation Consultant, Trainer and Coach licensed with The Brave Thinking and HeartMath Institutes, premier training centers for transformational coaching in California. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Human Resources Administration and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Communications and Change Management.

Through her professional career and track record of over 20 years as a Coach, HR Executive Leader and Change Management expert in medium and large corporations, Marylène now shares her know-how & proficiencies through inspiring workshops and in-depth, proven and reliable transformational coaching tools and programs.

Marylene’s passion is to inspire in others self-reflection and greater awareness leading to growth mindsets and behavioural changes. As a result, individuals reach and sustain new heights in performance, success and vitality.

Licy Do Canto

Licy Do Canto, is a veteran of public policy, corporate strategy, health care communications and diversity and inclusion, is managing director of APCO Worldwide’s Washington D.C. office headquarters and mid-Atlantic region lead. Licy is also a Global Advisory Council (GAC) member here at the Crisis Ready Institute and a highly recognized African-American public affairs, lobbyist and communications strategist— recognized by TheHill newspaper for the 11th consecutive year as one of the most influential leaders in Washington, DC.

As Executive Vice President and Managing Director in the BCW Public Affairs and Crisis practice, Licy drives healthcare and social impact policy and strategy, and helps shape strategic direction on diversity, inclusion and belonging for the firm and its clients across North America, in public and corporate affairs, government relations, communications, crisis and reputation management. Licy also leads the BCW Healthcare Team in Washington, D.C.

An expert in public affairs, policy and diversity and inclusion, with over twenty five years of experience at the international, national, state and local levels across the nonprofit, philanthropic, corporate and government sectors, Licy is an accomplished, values-driven leader with unparalleled experience in developing and leading integrated public affairs campaigns combining strategic communications, public relations, political/legislative initiatives, policy, coalition building, grassroots efforts and advocacy.

Before joining BCW, Licy built and lead a nationally recognized minority owned strategic public affairs and communications firm, served as Health Practice Chair and Principal at The Raben Group, was the Chief Executive Officer of The AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families, and managed and helped set the leadership direction for strategic policy, communications, and advocacy investments in executive and senior government affairs roles for the American Cancer Society and the nation’s Community Health Centers.

Before joining the private sector, Licy was domestic policy advisor to U.S. Congressman Barney Frank and served in several capacities in the Office of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. During his extensive tenure in Washington, D.C., Licy has played a leading role in efforts to draft, shape and enact legislation and policy to improve the public health, health care safety net and the lives, livelihoods and well-being of the nation’s disadvantaged and underserved communities.

Licy also has worked with Moet Hennessey to drive diversity and inclusion on Wall Street and corporate America. He has partnered with Vice President Al Gore, senior government officials, scientists, NGOs and activists, on global climate change impact and sustainability across Africa. And he was appointed by Republican and Democrat governors to oversee the conservation, preservation and management of a prominent U.S. national historic landmark.

Licy is a graduate of Duke University and holds a certificate in public health leadership in epidemic preparedness and management from the University of North Chapel Hill—School of Public Health and Kenan Flagler Business School, and is the recipient of multiple industry awards and citations for his leadership, policy and public affairs acumen, including being named to The Hill Newspaper list of most influential leaders in Washington, D.C. consecutively over the last ten years. As a global citizen, Licy has lived in Turkey and Spain, and is fluent in Spanish and Cape Verdean Portuguese.

Recognized globally as an expert, thought leader and visionary in the field of crisis management, Melissa Agnes has worked with global players, including NATO, the Pentagon (DoD), Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, financial firms, technology companies, healthcare organizations, cities and municipalities, law enforcement agencies, aviation organizations, global non-profits, and many others.

In 2020, Melissa founded Crisis Ready Institute, a public benefit corporate dedicated to creating a crisis ready, crisis-resilient world by elevating industry standards; providing training and certification programs to professionals that better protect people, brands, the environment, and the economy in times of crisis; and promoting and incentivizing organizations and leaders to invest in effective crisis readiness.

Her book, Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World , is taught in dozens of universities around the world, including at Harvard University; is ranked amongst the leading crisis management books of all time, by Book Authority ; and was named one of the top ten business books of 2018 by Forbes .

Melissa is the creator of the Crisis Ready® Model, which is recognized and being taught as leading industry best practice in the fields of crisis management and crisis communication.

As an in-demand international keynote speaker and a TEDx alumna , Melissa has traveled the world helping organizations and leaders further strengthen their crisis ready mindset, skills and capabilities.

In 2019, Melissa founded the Crisis Ready® Community , a space for professionals to come together to support one another, collaborate and strengthen their crisis ready skills.

Melissa sits on the Board of Trustees for D'Youville University, a private University in New York, where she also serves as a visiting scholar for the course she co-created and co-teaches on Crisis Leadership.

Melissa also sits on the Board of Directors for ZeroNow, a non-profit organization committed to ending harmful events in schools.

Passionate about serving law enforcement and bridging the trust divide between agencies and the communities they serve, Melissa is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). In 2021 she co-chaired a committee that was tasked with developing a strategy and plan of action to begin managing and overcoming the trust crisis in the U.S.

In 2019 and 2020, Melissa sat on the panel tasked with developing the International Standard for Crisis Management— ISO 22361, Guidelines for developing a strategic capability.

Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec (Canada), Melissa currently lives in New York City and enjoys traveling, rollerblading, sailing, and working out when she isn’t working.

Erick Anez is the Global Head of Business Resilience at Finastra. Erick is a proven leader with well over a decade of experience leading change and transformation in the Operational Resilience field.

His hands-on approach focuses on operational learning, culture, and reputational management. Erick holds a Bachelor of Emergency & Homeland Security, Graduate studies in Security and Disaster Management, is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), Certified Risk Management Professional (CRMP), graduate of the FEMA institute in Incident Management and Command, and is a respected member of Public-Private partnerships within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Some of his most notable achievements in the field include leading the private sector response to Hurricane Maria as well as working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Continuity of Operations (CCOP) projects for mission-critical facilities in the United States. Erick has also trained with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Infectious Disease Planning and community response, including Point of Dispensing initiatives.

From 2016 to 2019, Erick held several roles at Crowley and, most recently, was the company’s Managing Director of Safety & Resilience. During this time, he was responsible for resilience operations supporting all business segments as well as leading the organization’s safety culture improvement journey. At Crowley, he led the Occupational Health & Safety, Business Continuity, and Crisis Management teams.

Before joining Crowley, Erick held similar roles at Southwest Gas and Third Federal Savings & Loan.

Founder and Principal, One Thirty Nine Consulting Global Advisory Council Member, Crisis Ready® Institute

Aaron Marks is the founder and principal of One Thirty Nine Consulting, providing services for small and large businesses in Risk, Crisis, and Consequence Management.

Supporting both domestic and international clients, he provides operational and subject matter expertise in readiness and preparedness, crisis and incident management, and business and operational continuity for complex systems and organizations.

Aaron has provided in-depth review, assessment, and analysis for technology, policy, and operational programs for clients in healthcare, critical manufacturing, and entertainment and hospitality, as well as for state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal governments in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. He is a recognized authority on the application of nontraditional techniques and methodologies to meet the unique requirements of training, evaluation, and analytic games and exercise.

Prior to entering the readiness and preparedness field, Aaron was the Director of Operations for a commercial ambulance and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider in western New York State where he participated in the integration of commercial EMS and medical transportation resources into the local Trauma System.

During his 30-year career, Aaron has worked in almost every aspect of EMS except fleet services. This includes experience in Hazardous Materials and Tactical Medicine, provision of prehospital care in urban, suburban, rural, and frontier environments, and acting as a team leader for both ground and aeromedical Critical Care Transport Teams.

Aaron is a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner and received a B.A. in Psychology from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. He is also a Nationally Registered Paramedic and currently practices as an Assistant Chief with the Amissville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Amissville Virginia.

Chris Hsiung

Chris is the 11th Police Chief of the Mountain View Police Department, located in the heart of Silicon Valley. For more than 25 years, he has served the Mountain View community, and as the department’s leader, is passionate about maintaining MVPD’s role as a progressive law enforcement organization in the 21st century.

Chris is an internationally recognized speaker and columnist on the areas of crisis communications, critical incident management, leadership, and engagement with stakeholder groups. In his time with Mountain View PD, Chris has held a variety of investigative, tactical, and leadership roles, serving in every division in the organization. He is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Senior Executives in State and Local Government program and has a master’s degree in eBusiness Management from Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont, CA.

Chris also serves in several leadership positions on multiple boards, including as president on the Government Social Media Leadership Council and committee member on the IACP's Professional Standards, Ethics, and Image Committee. Previously, Chris served as a board member for the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center and two terms as a commissioner on the City of San Mateo Community Relations Commission .

You can connect with him on Twitter @Chief_Hsiung or LinkedIn .

Ashley Davis

Ashley is a Brand and Marketing Strategist who partners with CEOs, executives and solopreneurs to grow their personal and professional brands. After spending over a decade working in strategic communications for multimillion dollar brands and startups, Ashley knows what truly drives conversations, builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their stakeholder groups and attracts strong strategic partnerships.

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Leading Your Team Through a Crisis

At some point in every leader’s career, they’ll be faced with a crisis. It may be a problem that’s major and public, or something contained and private. It may be particular to your organization, or—as is the case with the Covid-19 pandemic—a situation that’s being experienced globally. Whatever the circumstances, a crisis is a time of intense difficulty, stress, and complexity. There’ll be no one perfect way to remedy the problem, no easy path toward recovery.

When a crisis strikes, we tend to respond instinctively, but those initial impulses may not be especially productive. They may even be counterproductive. An equally suboptimal response is freezing in place, doing nothing and hoping that “it” will all go away. “It” won’t. More likely, a potentially manageable crisis left unresolved will turn into a full-blown disaster. Leaders must be able to act quickly. They need to do so rationally, and not by going with their gut—whether their gut is telling them to jump in and start flailing around or to ignore what’s going on. To tackle a crisis, leaders must be able to create flexible plans, communicate clearly, lead with compassion, and manage the post-crisis “new normal.”

Plan—and be ready to shift gears In the face of a crisis, quick action can keep a crisis from escalating into a disaster. Although you won’t have all the information or resources you need, it’s imperative to act both quickly and deliberately. Work with your team to assess the situation, gather input, and formulate a plan. Harvard Business School researchers found that the most successful teams cycled among different ways of working—alongside your team, slightly back to monitor work, and apart to see the big picture. As a leader, continuously monitor, adjust, and even reformulate your plan as new information emerges. Be ready and willing to pivot, and prepare for the inevitable “one step forward/two steps back” setbacks.

Communicate often and early During a crisis, there’s typically a lot of noise out there. Make sure that your team understands day-to-day what they need to do—and why. Address your team’s concerns directly. Don’t contribute to the noise by sugarcoating the situation or trying to have an answer for everything. When delivering difficult news, be direct and honest. Establish a communications routine and stick with it, even if there’s nothing to say other than “nothing new at the moment.” When progress has been made, even if it’s minor, be sure to share it so that people don’t despair. Communications should be two-way: listen to what your team is saying—and not saying. The information and insights they have may surprise you.

Lead with compassion For your team to persevere through times of pressure and uncertainty, they need compassion from you. Amy Gallo points out in “ What Your Coworkers Need Right Now Is Compassion ,” her Harvard Business Review article, “This is not a time to move away from kindness and caring, even if your brains nudge us in that direction.” One thing the coronavirus pandemic has shown us is that a crisis is mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. Each day, as you weigh your priorities and decisions, take the needs of others into consideration. Be on the lookout for burnout—in your team and yourself—and take steps to protect against it.

Manage the post-crisis “new normal” After a crisis has abated, you should expect a “new normal”—new processes, strategies, and culture—to emerge. Adjusting to the new normal both emotionally and cognitively may take a while, but it’s your job to help your team recover and heal. Once the most immediate and challenging aspects of a crisis are under control, think about the kinds of crises that your organization is likely to experience in the future. What should you and your team be doing to prepare? What worked well this time, what not so well? Are there any preventative measures you can put in place to keep a crisis from occurring to begin with?

As a leader, you’ll find yourself having to manage your way through and out of a crisis. Don’t wait for the next crisis to hit to get yourself prepared.

Interested in learning more about how you and your team can better handle crises? With the July Harvard ManageMentor release, we’ve updated the Crisis Management topic with new lessons that provide relevant and practical learning that will move your organization forward.

What advice do you have for dealing with a crisis?

Vanessa Bhimanprommachak is editorial project coordinator at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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The Psychology Behind Effective Crisis Leadership

Gianpiero Petriglieri

Good leaders need more than vision.

It is often said that a strong vision makes a good leader. But in a crisis, people don’t need a vision to inspire them–they’re already raring to act. Instead, they need what psychologists call “holding”–leaders who acknowledge their emotions and give them a sense of context and reality. Holding allows people to channel their desire to act into something purposeful, and it allows them to more fully be themselves (and thus to be more mentally healthy). People never forget how managers treated them when they were facing loss. It is leaders who hold through this crisis, the author believes, who will keep their organizations afloat and to whom we’ll turn when time comes to articulate a vision for the future.

In these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.

When I ask groups of managers what makes a good leader, I seldom have to wait long before someone says, “Vision!” and everyone nods. I have asked that question countless times for the past 20 years, to cohorts of senior executives, middle managers, and young students from many different sectors, industries, backgrounds, and countries. The answer is always the same: A vision inspires and moves people. Expansion, domination, freedom, equality, salvation — whatever it is, if a leader’s vision gives us direction and hope, we will follow. If you don’t have one, you can’t call yourself a leader.

This enchantment with vision, I believe, is the manifestation of a bigger problem: a disembodied conception of leadership. Visions hold our imagination captive, but they rarely have a positive effect on our bodies. In fact, we often end up sacrificing our bodies in the pursuit of different kinds of visions, and celebrating that fact — whether it is by dying for our countries or working ourselves to exhaustion for our companies. Visions work the same way whether mystics or leaders have them: They promise a future and demand our life. In some cases, that sacrifice is worth it. In others, it is not. Just as it can ignite us, a vision can burn us out.

Coronavirus: Leadership and Recovery

When a leader’s appeal rests on a vision alone, leadership is not whole. And the limitations of such visionary leadership become painfully obvious in times of crisis, uncertainty, or radical change. Take the coronavirus pandemic. No one had anything like it in their “Vision 2020.” Crises always test visions, and most don’t survive. Because when there’s a fire in a factory, a sudden drop in revenues, a natural disaster, we don’t need a call to action. We are already motivated to move, but we often flail . What we need is a type of holding, so that we can move purposefully.

What do I mean by holding? In psychology, the term has a specific meaning . It describes the way another person, often an authority figure, contains and interprets what’s happening in times of uncertainty. Containing refers to the ability to soothe distress and interpreting to the ability to help others make sense of a confusing predicament. Think of a CEO who, in a severe downturn, reassures employees that the company has the resources to weather the storm and most jobs will be protected, helps them interpret revenue data, and gives clear directions about what must be done to service existing clients and develop new business. That executive is holding: They think clearly, offer reassurance, orient people and help them stick together. That work is as important as inspiring others. In fact, it is a precondition for doing so.

Holding is a more obscure and seldom celebrated facet of leadership than vision, but no less important. And when crises hit, it becomes essential. In groups whose leaders can hold, mutual support abounds, work continues, and a new vision eventually emerges. When leaders cannot hold, and we can’t hold each other, anxiety, anger, and fragmentation ensue. In a study of BP during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill , for example, my INSEAD colleague (and wife!) Jennifer Petriglieri observed both outcomes. She found that BP’s top talent, which the company needed to resolve and recover from the crisis, had different reactions to the crisis. Some lost faith in the company and in its leaders. Others doubled their effort and commitment. The difference between the two groups? The former was exposed to the top brass’ upbeat messages. The latter had bosses who drafted them to help clean up the mess. Despite the stress, working closely with one’s boss and colleagues on the response was more containing and informative. It reassured those who did it about the company’s integrity and long-term viability. Being held as we work through a crisis, the study concluded, is more useful than being told how bright the future is.

It was Donald Winnicott , a pioneering British psychoanalyst, who first conceptualized holding in this way. He observed that being held well was necessary for healthy growth in children. Parents who were available but not demanding, reassuring but not intrusive, responsive but not reactive, present even if not perfect, Winnicott observed, provided a “ holding environment ” that made children comfortable and curious. Holding made space for them to learn how to make sense of, and manage, their inner and social worlds—and to develop a robust sense of self. That is, a self with a healthy regard for its abilities and limitations, a self that can learn, play, work, face hardships, and sustain hope through it all.

Caretakers who held well, Winnicott noted, did not shelter children from distress and turns of fate. But they buffered children enough that they could process distress, and helped them find words to name their experiences, and ways to manage it. “Are you angry, love? Is that why you kicked? Come here. How about we tell your brother to leave your bear alone, instead.”

Children who are held well, Winnicott discovered, became more sociable and independent as grown-ups. They neither became paralyzed when faced with challenges, nor sought rescue from parental figures. They did seek help when needed and made good use of it. Winnicott called such selves true , meaning that they were free to make their way in the world, and he saw such strength and freedom as the result, one might say, of a competent kind of love. He also observed that they could offer it in turn. They had learned to hold themselves and others too.

Good holding, in short, not only makes us more comfortable and courageous. It makes us . That was Winnicott’s major insight, one as revolutionary now as it was then. His work refined Freud’s idea that socialization tames us and can make us neurotic. That only happens, Winnicott observed, when authorities impose a vision of who we must be that leaves us little room to discover who we can become. Neurosis, he contended, is not the product of what socialization does to our instincts, but of what it fails to do with our potential . Mental health and freedom, then, take learning new ways of relating to each other.

Children are not the only ones who need holding to survive and grow. Adults do too, throughout their lives. To face difficult circumstances, master new conditions, and develop in the process, we need holding from leaders and organizations. And we need to hold each other.

When we expand the definition of holding beyond child development, however, it becomes clear that there are different kinds of holding. In his later works, Winnicott hinted that the immediate, intimate holding that he spent most of his work describing works best when it occurs in a broader context of a society that is itself secure and free enough to render interpersonal holding less necessary. That was one of the functions of a democratic society , Winnicott argued: making it less indispensable for members to rely on their next of kin.

In my own research I have drawn a distinction between interpersonal holding and this broader institutional holding. Ideally, good leaders provide both, in a crisis and beyond. This is how.

Leaders provide institutional holding by strengthening the structure and culture of an organization or group. They do it, for example, when they put in place policies and procedures that reassure people about their job security or how fairly the organization is treating them. They do it when they promote dialogue that lets diverse people participate in decisions and in adapting to new challenges together, rather than encouraging polarized factions. For leaders in executive positions, this is the most impactful way of holding people in a crisis. Failing to provide it makes expressions of sympathy and understanding ring hollow. Providing institutional holding, conversely, will often make people forgive even personally dislikable leaders their remoteness.

To provide institutional holding, tell your people what will happen to their salaries, health insurance, and working conditions. What will change about how they do their work? What are the key priorities now? Who needs to do what? You might not be able to make predictions, but you can still offer informed interpretations, that is, why certain measures are sensible and needed instead of others. Dispel rumors. Encourage and protect everyone’s participation even more than you usually do. Do these things before you recommend the usual regular breaks, meditation, or exercise — otherwise you will just be neglecting your duty of care.

Once you have provided institutional holds, turn your attention to interpersonal holding, offering it to others and modeling it for them. To do this well you must let yourself be in the present. Your impulse may be to focus on the future but that will be little more than escapism if you cannot witness and understand people’s immediate experience and concerns. (Even if you can’t resolve them!). You need to muster a lingering, attentive availability that lets others “go on being,” as Winnicott put it . This is more than just being around and supportive when needed; it is a mixture of permission (to feel whatever it is that we are feeling without being shamed or overwhelmed) and curiosity (to consider different ways to understand our circumstances and, eventually, to imagine our future). Remember, as Winnicott described it, the core of holding is acknowledging distress and difficulty without giving in to powerlessness.

Leaders are not the only sources of holding. There is much we can offer each other, at work and elsewhere. In a study of successful independent workers, Sue Ashford, Amy Wrzesniewski, and I found that they invested heavily in cultivating a holding environment with peers and with behaviors that tempered the financial and emotional volatility of gig work. In her study of working couples , for example, Jennifer Petriglieri found that the most successful held each other reciprocally. Each partner helped the other face their career struggles and grow professionally, not just at home. When I reviewed the literature on grief, for a piece I wrote with Sally Maitlis on mourning in the workplace , again I found that a holding presence—capable, first, to just bear witness to another person’s pain, and later to help them find new meaning—was the most valuable gift a peer (or a manager) could offer. That gift is even more important when the loss is shared. Holding brings us back to life together, then.

People never forget how managers treated them when they were facing loss. And we will remember how our institutions, managers, and peers, held us through this crisis — or failed to. We also see the consequences of past failures of holding, in those institutions struggling to mobilize an already depleted pool of resources. It is tempting to resort to command and control in a crisis, but it is leaders who hold instead that help us work through it. And it is to those leaders, I believe, that we’ll turn to when time comes to articulate a vision for the future.

When I ask managers to reflect a bit more on the leaders whose visions they find most compelling and enduring, they usually realize that none of those leaders started from a vision or stopped there. Instead the leader started with a sincere concern for a group of people, and as they held those people and their concerns, a vision emerged. They then held people through the change it took to realize that vision, together. Their vision may be how we remember leaders because it can hold us captive. But it is their hold that truly sets us free.

If our content helps you to contend with coronavirus and other challenges, please consider subscribing to HBR . A subscription purchase is the best way to support the creation of these resources.

GP Gianpiero Petriglieri is an associate professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD . A medical doctor and psychiatrist by training, Gianpiero researches and practices leadership development. He directs the INSEAD Management Acceleration Programme , as well as leadership workshops for global organizations. You can learn more about Gianpiero’s work on his website , and follow him on Twitter ( @gpetriglieri ) and Facebook .

Partner Center

MICHAEL G. KAVAN, PH.D., THOMAS P. GUCK, PH.D., AND EUGENE J. BARONE, M.D.

Am Fam Physician. 2006;74(7):1159-1164

Patient information: See related handout on crisis management , written by the authors of this article.

Author disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Family physicians often treat patients who are experiencing psychological or medical crises. Any event perceived as overwhelming by the patient may trigger a crisis reaction consisting of psychological and physiological symptoms. Physicians are encouraged to assist patients who are experiencing a crisis by: (1) providing reassurance and support; (2) evaluating the nature of the problem and determining the patient’s mental, psychiatric, suicidal or homicidal, and medical statuses; (3) ensuring the safety of the patient and others; (4) assisting the patient in developing an action plan that minimizes distress, and obtaining patient commitment to the plan; and (5) following up with the patient and other relevant persons to ensure follow-through, assess progress, and provide additional assistance and support. Medication or referral for psychiatric or psychological counseling may be necessary for patients with continuing problems.

Physicians often are required to assist patients in crisis. An estimated 4 percent of visits to primary care physicians involve psychiatric or social crises. 1 , 2 Numerous additional visits and telephone calls involve persons who are experiencing medical crises or are presenting with physical symptoms caused by acute stressful events. Although crisis management is not a major part of a physician’s routine, when it does occur it requires time and resources. Proper assessment and intervention are essential to ensure the safety of the patient and others, to assist the patient in coping effectively with the problem, and to empower the patient to confront future life events successfully.

Definition of a Crisis

A crisis occurs when a person is confronted with a critical incident or stressful event that is perceived as overwhelming despite the use of traditional problem-solving and coping strategies. 1 Often it is not the event itself that causes the crisis; rather, it is the appraisal of the event as serious, uncontrollable, and beyond the patient’s resources for coping that triggers a crisis response. 3 , 4 Persons who are unable to cope using traditional strategies can develop affective, behavioral, cognitive, or physical difficulties 3 that may cause them to seek physician assistance. Patients may present to the physician in a variety of settings (e.g., the physician’s office, the hospital, via telephone) with problems ranging from minor setbacks to acute, highly stressful events, psychiatric problems, or medical crises. Examples of critical incidents that may precipitate a crisis are listed in Table 1 . 1 , 3

The Physician’s Role in Crisis Management

Patients experiencing a crisis often rely on their physician for support and advice. Although each patient and situation is different, there are several general steps that physicians can follow to respond effectively to a patient’s crisis 3 , 5 ( Table 2 ) . These include providing reassurance and support to the patient, assessing the situation, ensuring the safety of the patient and others, and teaching the patient strategies that will assist him or her to cope more effectively with the current incident and related symptomatology as well as with future critical incidents. An algorithm for effective crisis management is provided in Figure 1 .

STEP 1: REASSURE AND SUPPORT THE PATIENT

The first step in communicating with a patient experiencing a crisis is to reassure the patient that it is safe to discuss the presenting concern and that the physician will be available to assist the patient through this crisis. If the patient is distressed, he or she should be encouraged to use deep breathing techniques and refocus on the problem. The physician should then commend the patient for seeking help and validate the patient’s experience. Validation in this context does not necessarily mean that the physician agrees with the patient’s view and response to the crisis; instead, the physician uses reflective listening to demonstrate understanding and to clarify and amplify the patient’s situation without imposing his or her opinions. 6

The physician also should establish rapport with the patient by using active listening skills (e.g., open-ended questions, encouraging statements) and, if applicable, nonverbal techniques (e.g., speaking at eye level, leaning forward). This will facilitate open and honest communication and will help establish a working alliance with the patient. 3

STEP 2: EVALUATE THE CRISIS SEVERITY AND ASSESS THE PATIENT’S STATUS

As rapport builds, the physician should evaluate the severity of the crisis and assess the patient’s mental, psychiatric, suicidal or homicidal, and medical statuses. It is essential to define the triggering situation precisely and to understand the problem from the patient’s point of view. 3 The physician should determine the nature of the crisis, its precipitating events, how the patient has attempted to cope, and what resources may be available to assist with the problem.

In conjunction with this process, the physician should carefully evaluate the patient’s general appearance, behavior, speech, thoughts, judgment, and affect, and assess whether the patient has recently used substances that could impair his or her judgment. Assessing psychiatric status is important because depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and substance abuse or dependency greatly increase suicide risk. 7 – 10 The patient’s mental and psychiatric statuses can affect the reliability of information given by the patient and the physician’s confidence that any plan will be carried out. If the patient’s mental status is not stable, it may be necessary to contact a family member or close friend to gather additional information and to ensure the patient’s safety and appropriate follow-through; psychiatric referral also may be necessary.

The patient should be evaluated for suicide and homicide risk; this can be achieved by asking the patient directly whether he or she has thoughts or intentions of hurting him- or herself or others. 7 , 10 Although little evidence exists to guide the accurate assessment of suicide risk in primary care patients, 11 , 12 physicians should consider factors that have been associated with an increased risk of suicide ( Table 3 ) . 10 Risk factors for homicide include a history of aggressive behavior to self or others, a history of criminal behavior, a history of experiencing child abuse or witnessing domestic violence, low intelligence, neurologic impairment, hostility, substance abuse or dependency, and perceptions of threat or of someone else controlling one’s thoughts. The latter often is associated with paranoid disorders, schizophrenia, or other thought disorders. 13

STEP 3: ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PATIENT AND OTHERS

After obtaining information regarding the crisis and assessing the patient’s mental, psychiatric, and medical statuses and risk for causing harm, the physician may need to ensure the safety of the patient and others. 14 Patients who are suicidal and have comorbid psychiatric or medical problems, a history of violent or near-lethal suicide attempts, a poor response to outpatient treatment, or limited family or social support should be considered for inpatient hospital admission. 10 A family member or close friend may transport the patient; if the patient refuses, local law enforcement should be contacted. 10 , 15 , 16

Patients who have chronic suicidal ideations without a history of medically serious suicide attempts and who are not judged to be in immediate danger may be managed as outpatients if they have a stable and supportive living situation and are able to cooperate with an action plan. 10 These patients should be encouraged to make an appointment immediately with a physician (their own, if possible), a psychiatrist, and/or a psychologist for medication review and counseling. Family members and friends should be encouraged to remove any firearms and potentially dangerous medications from the patient’s environment and to safeguard the patient from other lethal means. Ongoing monitoring of the patient is essential, with appropriate modifications made to the action plan as necessary.

If the patient is homicidal, the physician must ensure the safety of the patient and of potential victims. Again, hospitalization of the patient may be necessary. The case of Tarasoff v. Board of Regents of the University of California mandates that physicians have a duty to warn and protect intended victims of a patient. 17

Patients experiencing a crisis in which they are at risk of bodily harm must be encouraged to remove themselves from the situation immediately. Victims of abuse may be directed to quickly gather their children and necessary personal belongings and go immediately to a shelter or other safe place. The National Center for Victims of Crime has published safety plan guidelines for victims of domestic violence 18 ; these guidelines are available from its Web site at http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32452 .

Patients experiencing agitation may be at risk of harming the physician and staff. Clinics should establish policies and procedures for handling agitated or dangerous patients and should provide training to all personnel.

STEP 4: DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN

When safety issues have been addressed, the physician can assist the patient in developing a constructive response to the crisis. Throughout this process, the physician must emphasize that although the patient may be unable to control the event that precipitates a crisis, he or she can control the response to it. Physicians can help the patient stabilize acute distress, explore options, make a plan, and commit to the plan. 3

First, although some emotional arousal can promote crisis resolution, the physician should help the patient stabilize distress by providing reassurance and support and encouraging the patient to use self-calming methods. Techniques such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation will facilitate self-control over physiology and emotions and will allow the patient to focus on taking active steps to cope successfully with the crisis incident.

Highly distressed patients experiencing acute anxiety, sleep difficulties, and significant impairment of daily functioning may benefit from short-term or intermittent pharmacologic therapy directed toward specific symptoms, 14 , 19 such as anxiolytics for anxiety or hypnotics for insomnia. Patients presenting with acute psychosis, aggression, agitation, or extreme anger should be considered for intramuscular antipsychotic medication. 20 Some patients who experience a crisis develop depression, 5 acute stress disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder; these patients may be treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or other antidepressants. 14 Benzodiazepines are not recommended as monotherapy for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder because discontinuation has been associated with profound exacerbation of symptoms. 14 , 21

Second, the physician can assist the patient in exploring options for dealing with the crisis. These may include obtaining additional information, gathering situational support (e.g., family, friends), employing coping mechanisms (e.g., exercise, hobbies), and using positive and constructive thinking patterns (i.e., those that change the patient’s view of the problem). The use of specific “homework” assignments that involve gathering additional information on the topic of concern; self-monitoring of symptoms, thoughts, or activities; identification of strengths; and experimentation with new coping behaviors can empower the patient to take action rather than feel helpless and remain inert. 1

Third, the physician and patient should develop a specific action plan that includes a short list of realistic, concrete, and positive steps that the patient can begin to implement immediately. The goals of any action plan are to restore emotional stability, increase patient control over the problem, and promote independent functioning. The patient thus becomes an active problem solver and begins to return to a normal routine and lifestyle.

Finally, the physician should ask the patient to summarize the plan and to commit to carrying out one or more steps. This allows the patient and the physician to clarify any misunderstandings regarding the plan, and it motivates the patient to take initial action.

As part of any action plan, the physician should advise the patient against using negative or harmful coping strategies such as denial, avoidance, withdrawal, or dependency on substances. Harmful coping strategies also include the use of negative cognitive processes such as catastrophizing (i.e., overemphasizing the probability of a catastrophic outcome and the possible consequences of such an outcome), 22 which may increase the patient’s anxiety and forestall productive problem-solving efforts. Patients should be encouraged to recognize such thought processes, stop them, and replace them with more rational and solution-focused thinking.

Physicians also may help patients to recognize and use their strengths instead of negative coping strategies. The patient may be asked to recall coping strategies that have worked successfully in the past and to apply these or similar methods to the current problem. The physician can encourage the patient to identify family, friends, and other mechanisms of support, as well as internal strengths and resources that may have been overlooked. 5

STEP 5: FOLLOW UP

Supportive follow-up is recommended to check on the patient’s status and to reinforce his or her positive efforts. 3 The immediacy of the contact should be determined by the seriousness of the problem and the trust that the physician has in the patient and the plan. Follow-up provides patients with a lifeline and improves the likelihood that they will follow through with the action plan.

During follow-up, the physician should assess progress regarding the specific plan of action and reinforce even small therapeutic gains. 1 Reinforcing success increases patients’ resilience, which should allow them to handle future crisis situations more successfully. The physician also may assist the patient to focus on potentially positive outcomes related to the crisis, including improved self-discipline, a feeling of competence, an appreciation of life, and a sense of future ability to cope with adversity.

Patients who have experienced significant trauma, who have a history of crisis, or who continue to experience significant distress despite these efforts may need to be referred to a professional individual or agency that can provide a higher and more intense level of care. The physician should maintain a list of services of this kind that are available in the local community.

Depending on the nature of a patient’s crisis, the physician and office staff may be adversely affected by the surrounding circumstances. Therefore, appropriate follow-up may include meetings to debrief staff and providing counseling as necessary. 3

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Gliatto MF, Rai AK. Evaluation and treatment of patients with suicidal ideation. Am Fam Physician. 1999;59:1500-6.

Stovall J, Domino FJ. Approaching the suicidal patient. Am Fam Physician. 2003;68:1814-8.

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The National Center for Victims of Crime. Domestic violence: safety plan guidelines. Accessed March 22, 2006, at: http://www.ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32452

Mellman TA, Byers PM, Augenstein JS. Pilot evaluation of hypnotic medication during acute traumatic stress response. J Trauma Stress. 1998;11:563-9.

Crismon ML, Buckley PF. Schizophrenia. In: DiPiro JT, ed. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. 6th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill, 2005:1209–33.

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Turner JA, Aaron LA. Pain-related catastrophizing: what is it?. Clin J Pain. 2001;17:65-71.

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Key Strategies for Effective Decision-Making in Crisis Management

December 12, 2023 By // by Lydia Harper

In today’s volatile business landscape, crises disrupt stability and challenge organizational resilience . At the core of crisis management lies the pivotal role of decision-making—a compass steering an organization through turmoil.

Crises, stemming from various sources, demand swift, calculated actions underpinned by astute decision-making. In this turbulent environment, decisions wield immense influence—guiding resource allocation, communication, stakeholder relations, and overall resilience.

This article explores the intricate dynamics of decision-making in crisis management—dissecting influential factors and their far-reaching effects on organizational resilience, reputation, resources, and long-term strategy.

It outlines strategies like foresight, diversity, preparedness, and continuous learning, essential for effective crisis decision-making.

Understanding Crisis Management

Before delving into the profound effects of decision-making in crisis scenarios, it’s essential to grasp the essence of crisis management itself.

Crisis management is the art of navigating tumultuous waters with clarity, composure, and strategic action. It involves the ability to swiftly grasp the gravity of a situation, analyze its intricacies, and implement effective measures to mitigate its impact.

Understanding crisis management goes beyond mere reaction; it encompasses proactive planning, decisive leadership, and empathetic communication. It demands a blend of foresight, adaptability, and a deep comprehension of both the immediate challenges and long-term consequences.

Ultimately, crisis management is about fostering resilience amid chaos, steering through adversity with a steady hand, and emerging stronger from the storm. The way to ensure all of this is through effective decision making.

The Role of Decision-Making in Crisis Management

Effective decision-making in crisis management requires a blend of rational analysis, quick thinking, and an acute awareness of the human element. Decisions made during crises are not just about problem-solving; they carry the weight of ethical considerations, potential ramifications, and the need to balance immediate actions with long-term repercussions. Leaders must evaluate risks, consider various scenarios, and make choices that align with the organization’s values and objectives.

Moreover, decision-making in crises often involves collaboration among diverse stakeholders, necessitating consensus-building, negotiation, and the ability to navigate conflicting viewpoints.

The quality of decisions made under duress profoundly impacts an organization’s ability to weather the storm, adapt to changing circumstances, and emerge with trust and credibility intact.

Factors Influencing Decision-Making in Crises

Time sensitivity.

In crisis scenarios, the urgency to act swiftly often means decisions need to be made in compressed timeframes. This time pressure can be both a catalyst for effective, decisive actions and a pitfall leading to rushed, ill-informed choices.

Effective crisis management involves recognizing the critical balance between responding promptly and ensuring decisions are grounded in sound analysis rather than impulsive reactions. It’s about optimizing the available time to gather essential information while not succumbing to the paralysis of indecision.

Information Deficiency

Crisis situations are breeding grounds for ambiguity and incomplete data. Decision-makers operate within this fog of uncertainty, relying on available information, experience, and intuition to make informed judgments.

The challenge lies in managing the inherent risks stemming from incomplete information. It’s crucial to continually seek, assess, and validate data as it becomes available, adapting decisions as the situation evolves.

Effective crisis decision-making involves acknowledging the limitations of available information while actively seeking to fill those gaps to minimize blind spots.

Stakeholder Dynamics

Understanding and managing stakeholder relationships amidst a crisis is paramount. Decisions made in these critical moments have far-reaching implications on various stakeholders—employees, customers, shareholders, communities, among others.

Effective crisis decision-making involves not only considering these diverse interests but also communicating transparently and empathetically to build and maintain trust. Stakeholder engagement and feedback mechanisms play a crucial role in shaping decisions that align with the collective interests while addressing individual concerns.

Risk Assessment and Management

Crisis decision-making necessitates a thorough evaluation of risks and potential outcomes. It involves assessing the probability and impact of various scenarios, balancing immediate actions with long-term consequences.

Effective risk management in crisis situations requires a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s vulnerabilities, the external environment, and the interconnectedness of various factors.

This understanding enables decision-makers to implement measures that mitigate risks while maintaining flexibility to adapt to evolving circumstances.

The Effects of Decision-Making in Crisis Management

Impact on organizational resilience.

Decisions taken during a crisis serve as critical determinants of an organization’s resilience. Thoughtful and well-considered decisions can significantly enhance an organization’s capacity to adapt, rebound, and glean valuable lessons from the crisis.

Effective decisions made in the face of adversity lay the groundwork for improved systems, processes, and strategies, fortifying the organization’s overall resilience to future challenges.

Reputation Management

The decisions made amid crises are pivotal in managing an organization’s reputation. Choices made under pressure can either mitigate or exacerbate reputational damage, profoundly influencing public perception and trust.

Effective crisis decision-making involves not only resolving immediate issues but also safeguarding the organization’s image and credibility through transparent communication, ethical actions, and a proactive approach to addressing concerns.

Resource Allocation and Utilization

In crisis management, decisions regarding resource allocation play a crucial role. The judicious use of available resources—financial, human, technological—can significantly impact an organization’s ability to mount an effective response and recover efficiently.

Strategic decision-making involving resource allocation balances the immediate needs of crisis resolution with maintaining essential operations, ensuring sustainability even amid challenging circumstances.

Long-term Strategic Implications

Decisions made during crises extend their influence into the long-term strategic landscape of an organization. They shape the trajectory and direction of the organization, potentially influencing future policies, procedures, and preparedness strategies.

Analyzing the implications of decisions taken during crises allows organizations to learn, adapt, and fortify themselves against similar challenges in the future, integrating these experiences into their long-term strategic planning and vision.

Strategies for Effective Decision-Making in Crisis Management

Establishing clear protocols and procedures.

Having well-defined protocols and procedures in place for crisis management is foundational. These frameworks outline roles, responsibilities, and clear escalation pathways, ensuring a structured approach to decision-making during tumultuous times.

Protocols provide a roadmap for swift action while maintaining consistency and coherence within the organization. Regular review and updates to these protocols based on real-world experiences and evolving risks are essential to ensure their relevance and effectiveness.

Utilizing Diverse Perspectives

Embracing diverse perspectives within decision-making processes is invaluable. A variety of viewpoints from individuals with different backgrounds, expertise, and experiences can challenge assumptions, uncover blind spots, and generate innovative solutions.

By fostering an inclusive environment that encourages open dialogue and respects diverse opinions, organizations can enrich their decision-making, leading to more robust and well-rounded strategies to address crises.

Scenario Planning and Preparedness

Engaging in proactive scenario planning and preparedness exercises is a proactive approach to crisis management.

By envisioning various crisis scenarios and simulating their impact, organizations can anticipate challenges, identify vulnerabilities, and craft effective strategies in advance. This proactive stance allows decision-makers to be better prepared, making more informed and calibrated choices when facing actual crises.

Regularly updating and refining these plans based on emerging trends and insights ensures their relevance and applicability.

Continuous Learning and Adaptation

After-action evaluations serve as invaluable learning opportunities. Analyzing both successes and failures offers insights into the effectiveness of decision-making strategies deployed during the crisis.

This reflective process facilitates continuous improvement, allowing organizations to refine their approaches and decision-making frameworks for future crises.

Embracing a culture of continuous learning and adaptation empowers organizations to evolve, becoming more resilient and agile in navigating future challenges. Incorporating these learnings into updated protocols and procedures enhances the organization’s crisis readiness.

In the turbulent landscape of crisis management, effective decision-making stands as the linchpin for organizational resilience and success. Decisions made in tumultuous times echo far beyond immediate actions, shaping an organization’s adaptability, reputation, and long-term strategies.

Crafting clear protocols, embracing diverse perspectives, proactive planning, and continuous learning form the bedrock of robust decision-making in crises. These strategies not only guide immediate responses but also fortify an organization’s ability to weather storms and evolve stronger from challenges.

Ultimately, adept decision-making during crises signifies an organization’s capacity to navigate chaos with foresight, agility, and a commitment to emerge not just intact, but more resilient and prepared for whatever the future holds.

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Our Ultimate Guide to Crisis Managemen t contains everything you need to know about Crisis Management.
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Our Crisis Management Academy®️ is the only program of its kind that provides the knowledge you need to build a strong & effective crisis management program for your organization and leaves you with the confidence that you’re putting the right program, framework, and plans in place to enable your business to manage through a critical moment.
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About Lydia Harper

Lydia Harper is a communications specialist with experience in communications strategy, interpersonal communications, public speaking, and problem-solving.

Prior to joining Bryghtpath, Lydia was a facilities manager at a rock climbing and CrossFit gym. She aided in developing employee policies, creating social media content, event planning, and corporate finance.

Lydia holds a Bachelor of Communications in Strategic Organization Communications as well as a certificate in Data Analytics, both from Brigham Young University.

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Crisis Management Series

Making Decisions During A Crisis

This blog provides an overview of how decision-making during a crisis is conducted. There is a significant difference between the routine decision-making process during ordinary conditions and during a crisis situation.

It starts with the eight basic steps of decision-making.

It emphasised the need for professionals to develop a higher order of decision-making skillset called "strategic crisis decision making." This is consistent with the recently published ISO22361:2022 standard.

It summarises with the sharing of "How Are Decisions Made?" and "Why is Decision-making in a Crisis Challenging?"

Crisis Management Certified Planner-Specialist-Expert

Decision-making process.

We can think of the decision-making process as consisting of these eight basic steps:

1. Setting the Stage

An organization select its participants and determine the approach the organization will take to reach a decision:

Should the organization adopt and aim for consensus or vote by the majority?
During the meetings, especially the earliest ones, the organization set the tone for the group by encouraging open dialogue and promoting healthy debate.

2. Recognizing Obstacles

Certain individual biases and group dynamics can be obstacles in the decision-making process. By predicting and recognizing these tendencies, the organization can avoid them.

3. Framing the Issue at Hand

A successful decision depends on a clear understanding of the issue and its cause(s).

4. Generating Alternatives

After the organization has clarified the issue, brainstorm and generate creative conflict to develop alternative courses of action and ways of proceeding.

5. Evaluating Alternatives

The organization access the feasibility, risk, and ethical implications of each possible course of action.

6. Making a Decision

The organization choose an alternative.

7. Communicating the Decision

The organization decide who should be notified of the organization's decision and communicate it effectively.

8. Implementing the Decision

The organization determine what tasks will be required to put the decision into action, assign resources, and establish deadlines.

Throughout this eight-step process, the organization continually assesses its decision-making effectiveness and makes changes as needed to improve it.

Strategic Crisis Decision-Making

Decision-making.

Decision-making, as defined in BS 11200:2014, is the process that leads to selecting a course of action from more than one alternative option. This standard has since been superseded by ISO 22361:2022 .

The challenge of crisis decision-making is frequently underestimated, ignored or unknown, except with the benefit of hindsight. Even the most clear-headed and decisive senior executive in day-to-day settings can be overwhelmed in a crisis, leading to uncharacteristic errors, decision avoidance or delays.

Good decision-making at the strategic level can steer an organization out of crisis and on to future success. In contrast, bad decision-making almost certainly exacerbates an already difficult situation and potentially negatively impacts the reputation and value of the organization.

At its core, crisis response involves making decisions based on the best information available and turning those decisions into direction and action that control events and minimize the impacts of the crisis.

How Are Decisions Made?

A wide range of decision-making models exists, and the practically useful ones are organized around three primary considerations.

1. Situation

What is happening, what are the impacts, what are the issues, what are the risks, what might happen and what is being done about it? Situational awareness involves an appropriate knowledge of these factors.

2. Direction

What end-state is desired, what is the crisis response's aim and objectives, and what overarching values and priorities will inform and guide this?

What needs to be decided, and what needs to be done to resolve the situation and achieve the desired end-state? The effectiveness of actions should be monitored and reported on.

The essential decision model is: to analyze the situation, identify the issues, generate options, evaluate the options concerning the desired end-state, and make a decision or choice, all of which should be consistent with the values and the strategic priorities of the organization. Ideally, strategic decision-making in a crisis also follows a step-by-step process made up of the stages, as shown in the diagram below.

Strategic Decision-making in a crisis

This process seems logical and straightforward, except that these types of rational models assume the decision maker is fully informed, can compute the outcomes of a choice with perfect accuracy and is thinking entirely rationally. The reality is often different.

Why is Decision-making in a Crisis Challenging?

Studies of decision-making by people in real-life crises have shown that they do not always follow a clear-cut decision process. The nature of crises creates an environment that potentially derails the rational decision-making process at both strategic and tactical levels during crisis response.

The crisis is a unique and challenging decision-making environment compared to day-to-day business, with unique characteristics.

All these factors place extreme psychological pressures on the CMT and other affected staff across the organization. However, the high levels of uncertainty that characterize the majority of crises, caused by a lack of knowledge and a plethora of rumours, assumptions, and misinformation, are particularly threatening to effective decision-making. Uncertainty significantly increases a decision maker’s stress levels, which can negatively affect their cognitive processes, and increases the likelihood of flawed decisions and poor decisions.

The challenges to good decision-making are clear, but even overcoming these challenges does not guarantee a successful or “good” outcome. However, good decision-making significantly increases the likelihood of success.

Dilemmas, Decision Delay, and Decision Avoidance

Crisis decision-making is typically characterized by ill-formulated dilemmas, for which apparent solutions are not right or wrong but better or worse and where solutions to one problem potentially generate further problems or issues. Such dilemmas are perceived as having no good outcome and potentially leading only to more or less bad outcomes. These dilemmas induce exceptionally high levels of stress and anxiety in the decision-maker.

While uncertainty might not increase the chances of the CMT actively making large-scale errors or wrong choices, uncertainty over the potential outcome of a decision can block or delay the CMT from implementing those crucial decisions that should be made to take control of the crisis.

One of the main reasons for this is the CMT’s perceived accountability over a decision that might, with hindsight, be judged by interested parties as having been the wrong choice. Therefore, doing nothing might be perceived as less blameworthy than an actively-made mistake. However, the failure to make crucial decisions and take action when required is one of the most pervasive problems that decrease the effectiveness and efficiency of the crisis response and which has produced tragic outcomes in crises.

Decision-making Problems

Decision-making is beset with complexity, not only in the issues being faced but with the dynamics of how decisions are made and the biases flowing around when a group is brought together to consider a problem. Good leaders and decision-makers are aware of the risks and pitfalls they face to balance approaches and ensure as much bias can be taken out of the final stages as possible.

This text cannot comprehensively review potential biases and pitfalls, but self-awareness is critical. Crisis leaders and decision-makers should be mindful of potential problems, such as:

Groupthink;
The tendency to seek or prioritize information that confirms a preferred interpretation or option at the expense of contradictory information (which might be correct and relevant);
Wishful thinking;
Stereotyping;
Disproportionate emphasis given to preferred sources;
A failure to challenge assumptions of various types; and
Premature closure on a particular interpretation, position or path of action.

Effective Crisis Decision-making

Some factors improve the effectiveness of strategic decision-making in a crisis. This include:

Implementing, at an organizational level, policies, structures (teams and roles), plans, processes and tools to support the organization’s crisis management capability as a whole and the CMT in particular;
Gaining experience in crisis decision-making environments as individuals and teams;
Training CMT members in the use of decision techniques to reduce the effect of uncertainty on their cognitive abilities; and
Recognizing the signs of weak decision-making, including a failure to challenge evidence, assumptions, methods, logic and conclusions, and adopting measures to provide alternative perspectives.

Decision-makers need to be aware of their challenges and understand that there are tools and techniques available to support them in managing uncertainty, to reduce the likelihood of them making either individual or collective decision errors.

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The Lean Post / Articles / Problem-Solving During a Crisis: A quick tip from the #LeanCommunity

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Problem-Solving During a Crisis: A quick tip from the #LeanCommunity

By Lean Leaper

April 24, 2020

How to solve problems when there seems to be no time to do so.

Among the many universal challenges experienced by organizations during the Covid-19 pandemic, one stands out: how to address issues and solve problems when there’s no time to think, let alone follow a systematic process .

#Lean Community member Douglas Ashby, a lean practitioner and project specialist at a critical access hospital, says focusing on essentials works. His team created a successful approach that’s working during the surge of Covid-19 patients. With the streamlined system, hospital personnel not only quickly identify and address specific issues, but they also build problem-solving muscle memory that will allow them to solve increasingly complex problems over the long term.

During daily huddles at the end of their shift, teams complete a quick Plus/Delta debrief, asking two simple questions: 1) what went well today? and 2) where did we fall short or have any issues? The inquiry feeds a brief gap analysis—What is the current performance level? and Where should it be?—which, in turn, leads to a quick 5-Why analysis. The approach concludes by identifying simple action plans that the next shift implements.

For the future, the responses feed into an easel A3 problem-solving framework. “Encouraging teams to do this every day during their huddles is uncovering lots of hidden waste and opportunities for improvement,” writes Ashby. “When the dust settles on this pandemic, it will be crucial to assess how our work systems held up. The artifacts from these daily debriefs are invaluable in this regard.”

Have you created or adapted an approach that is helping your organization solve problems more quickly? Are you looking for new solutions that work amid the chaos of a pandemic? Join the #LeanCommunity and share them. The community is working to collaboratively address the unique issues brought on by the pandemic and sharing stories of resilience and grit during a crisis.

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Crisis Management Skills: Effective Leadership for All Hazards

Set your leaders up to effectively mitigate harm to your people and business. Here’s how to ensure your team has the necessary crisis management skills.

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Leadership in Crisis

Core crisis management team skills.

Testing Skills With Tabletop Exercises
Building Skills Through Drills

Your crisis management strategies are only as effective as your leadership team. If you don’t have the right people leading your efforts, even the most detailed, well-tested plan will run into problems.

Regardless of the specific crisis—a natural disaster, a pandemic, or any other unforeseen event—you need the right people leading your response efforts to ensure successful crisis management. However, people aren’t born ready to manage a crisis situation. They develop those skills through feedback, testing, and drills. Here’s what you can do to prepare your crisis response team with the skills to thrive in difficult situations.

Download Our Crisis Management Plan Template

Many organizations make the mistake of focusing too much on situational details and not enough on well-rounded crisis management skills. Too often, organizations choose leaders with strong technical skills based on specific situations but overlook the critical soft skills needed to make decisions during a crisis.

This is something that Eric McNulty, Associate Director at The National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, pointed out in a recent interview with The Employee Safety Podcast . McNulty noted that many organizations invest heavily in teaching their crisis leaders strong technical skills but rarely invest in soft leadership skills.

McNulty describes this limited focus as a massive oversight because crisis management skills are leadership skills . Crisis management leadership goes beyond just what to do. It’s “how to be, how to think, and how to come into a situation where you can bring people together and move them toward the best possible outcome in a unified manner.”

That’s why, as you choose leaders for your disaster teams, you need leaders with cross-compatible skills who can manage various types of crises. This is similar to the all-hazards approach for emergency preparedness, where you use common response elements to establish a standard course of action, ensuring a more effective and efficient crisis response. Just as you should have an all-hazards strategy, you should have an all-hazards crisis management team with strong, well-rounded leadership skills.

Effective crisis management leadership is vital to business continuity. You will need a team with the following roles and skills to manage your crisis management planning and critical actions during a crisis.

Necessary skills: Emotional intelligence, delegation, confidence
Necessary skills: Adaptability/flexibility, quick thinking, clear-headedness
Necessary skills: Organization, time management, problem-solving
Necessary skills: High critical thinking, clear communication, forward-thinking
Necessary skills: Clear-spoken, attention to detail, team-oriented
Necessary skills: Direct experience/authority, communication skills, empathy

The soft skills your crisis management team displays will inspire employees to follow proper steps during an emergency . While the roles above require specific skills to suit the responsibilities, some crisis management skills are more universal. Here are five crisis management skills all your leaders must master to keep employees safe and ensure enterprise resilience :

Testing Communication and Adaptability With Tabletop Exercises

Steven Kuhr, crisis management expert and founder of the Kuhr Group, LLC, believes that testing is critical to developing crisis management skills in people. As he puts it, “People have incredible talent and incredible capability once you test them.”

In a recent interview on The Employee Safety Podcast , Kuhr discusses how he was able to help a critical institution that provides services to Homeland Security maintain business operations during a crisis. He organized a tabletop exercise based on a train derailment, allowing the facility to test its continuity plan. During that exercise, he talked the team members through the scenario and allowed them to test their responses.

As they completed the scenario, he ramped up the difficulty, adding new challenges that changed how the team would adapt and respond. These injects also allowed them to test their contingency plans and fix gaps. The exercise encouraged effective communication, helping them to improve their response collaboratively. It also helped the participants carry these communication and adaptability skills to the subsequent phases of soliciting feedback and running a full-scale exercise.

Soliciting Feedback From Team Members to Foster Empathy

Eric McNulty at NPLI identifies one common mistake leaders make when responding to difficult situations: focusing on what the emergency management team thinks is important and not the rest of the team members. McNulty notes that unless you’re addressing what the individuals believe to be the immediate threat, you won’t be able to gain their buy-in during your emergency response.

Cooperation is a skill everyone in the organization needs to weather a disaster. If workers don’t feel heard and customers feel overlooked, they won’t listen when you talk. Addressing all stakeholders’ concerns is critical for cultivating cooperation, and cooperation is critical for successful crisis management. You can solicit feedback in different ways, including surveys, hot washes, and after-action reviews.

Building Collaboration and Critical Thinking Through Drills

An essential aspect of cultivating crisis management skills in leaders is allowing them to apply these skills in a true-to-life setting. Emergency drills that provide a realistic environment for testing can help to refine incident response plans and practice critical thinking when the stakes are lower.

A full-scale drill was the approach Steven Kuhr took when he helped a Homeland Security contractor who provides critical financial services to the agency. After testing a hypothetical train derailment in tabletop exercises, they elevated their preparedness efforts with a full-scale drill. This exercise included establishing an incident command post and testing unified incident command procedures, which were previously absent in the region. All key stakeholders—including fire/rescue, EMS, law enforcement, and disaster response organizations—collaborated on the simulated response.

The drill enabled them to identify and rectify critical gaps in their response plan. Not even six weeks after this preparation, Steven reports that a train derailment occurred in the area where they had previously conducted a test. The local fire chief reached out to Steven to express gratitude, acknowledging that their level of preparedness would have been significantly lower without the drill. They were able to avoid a financial crisis and maintain business continuity.

Steven’s drill serves as a valuable model for developing your strategies for crisis management . Specifically, in running drills, Steven encourages:

Realism — Steven’s drill was based on a realistic scenario that actually occurred six weeks later. When planning your drills, select scenarios you’re likely to face in your specific context. This approach is the best use of your time and resources.
Unified incident command — Steven also incorporates testing of unified incident command procedures into the drill. This ensures all response teams and stakeholders work together cohesively.
Gap identification — The drill was an opportunity to identify and address critical gaps in the response plan related to communication, resource allocation, and decision-making processes. Fortunately, they had already identified and closed those gaps when an actual disaster happened down the road.
Feedback and improvement sessions — After the drill, the team gathered feedback from participants and stakeholders. It was then used to refine the crisis management plan and address shortcomings.
Gratitude and recognition — Steven’s recommendation to practice emotional intelligence was to acknowledge and express gratitude for the participants’ efforts in the drill. Recognition from local authorities and stakeholders can reinforce the significance of preparedness efforts and motivate continued commitment.

Teaching Your Team to Prepare and Respond to Crises

The most effective way to develop crisis management skills is through practice. It’s similar to refining any other skill. You begin with the fundamentals and progress to more intricate scenarios, transitioning from basic tabletop exercises to full-scale drills. Success doesn’t require a team of naturally gifted leaders; you just need a team willing to invest effort in developing the soft skills that will guide them through any hazard. Download our crisis management plan template to make preparing your team and planning your crisis response easier.

Crisis Management Plan Template

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Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Nursing: Mental Health and Community Concepts [Internet]. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2022.

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Chapter 3 Stress, Coping, and Crisis Intervention

3.1. introduction, learning objectives.

Recognize nonverbal cues for physical and/or psychological stressors
Provide patient education on stress management techniques
Promote adaptive coping strategies
Recognize the use of defense mechanisms
Recognize a client in crisis
Describe crisis intervention

Nurses support the emotional, mental, and social well-being of all clients experiencing stressful events and those with acute and chronic mental illnesses. [ 1 ] This chapter will review stressors, stress management, coping strategies, defense mechanisms, and crisis intervention.

3.2. STRESS

Everyone experiences stress during their lives. High levels of stress can cause symptoms like headaches, back pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Chronic stress contributes to the development of chronic illnesses, as well as acute physical illnesses due to decreased effectiveness of the immune system. It is important for nurses to recognize signs and symptoms of stress in themselves and others, as well as encourage effective stress management strategies. We will begin this section by reviewing the stress response and signs and symptoms of stress and then discuss stress management techniques.

Stress Response

Stressors are any internal or external event, force, or condition that results in physical or emotional stress. [ 1 ] The body’s sympathetic nervous system (SNS) responds to actual or perceived stressors with the “fight, flight, or freeze” stress response. Several reactions occur during the stress response that help the individual to achieve the purpose of either fighting or running. The respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems are activated to breathe rapidly, stimulate the heart to pump more blood, dilate the blood vessels, and increase blood pressure to deliver more oxygenated blood to the muscles. The liver creates more glucose for energy for the muscles to use to fight or run. Pupils dilate to see the threat (or the escape route) more clearly. Sweating prevents the body from overheating from excess muscle contraction. Because the digestive system is not needed during this time of threat, the body shunts oxygen-rich blood to the skeletal muscles. To coordinate all these targeted responses, hormones, including epinephrine, norepinephrine, and glucocorticoids (including cortisol, often referred to as the “stress hormone”), are released by the endocrine system via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and dispersed to the many SNS neuroreceptors on target organs simultaneously. [ 2 ] After the response to the stressful stimuli has resolved, the body returns to the pre-emergency state facilitated by the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) that has opposing effects to the SNS. See Figure 3.1 [ 3 ] for an image comparing the effects of stimulating the SNS and PNS.

SNS and PNS Simulation

Effects of Chronic Stress

The “fight or flight or freeze” stress response equips our bodies to quickly respond to life-threatening stressors. However, exposure to long-term stress can cause serious effects on the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems. [ 4 ] Consistent and ongoing increases in heart rate and blood pressure and elevated levels of stress hormones contribute to inflammation in arteries and can increase the risk for hypertension, heart attack, or stroke. [ 5 ]

During sudden onset stress, muscles contract and then relax when the stress passes. However, during chronic stress, muscles in the body are often in a constant state of vigilance that may trigger other reactions of the body and even promote stress-related disorders. For example, tension-type headaches and migraine headaches are associated with chronic muscle tension in the area of the shoulders, neck, and head. Musculoskeletal pain in the lower back and upper extremities has also been linked to job stress. [ 6 ]

Relaxation techniques and other stress-relieving activities have been shown to effectively reduce muscle tension, decrease the incidence of stress-related disorders, and increase a sense of well-being. For individuals with chronic pain conditions, stress-relieving activities have been shown to improve mood and daily function.[ 7 ]

During an acute stressful event, an increase in cortisol can provide the energy required to deal with prolonged or extreme challenges. However, chronic stress can result in an impaired immune system that has been linked to the development of numerous physical and mental health conditions, including chronic fatigue, metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes, obesity), depression, and immune disorders. [ 8 ]

When chronically stressed, individuals may eat much more or much less than usual. Increased food, alcohol, or tobacco can result in acid reflux. Stress can induce muscle spasms in the bowel and can affect how quickly food moves through the gastrointestinal system, causing either diarrhea or constipation. Stress especially affects people with chronic bowel disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. This may be due to the nerves in the gut being more sensitive, changes in gut microbiota, changes in how quickly food moves through the gut, and/or changes in gut immune responses. [ 9 ]

Excess amounts of cortisol can affect the normal biochemical functioning of the male reproductive system. Chronic stress can affect testosterone production, resulting in a decline in sex drive or libido, erectile dysfunction, or impotence. It can negatively impact sperm production and maturation, causing difficulties in couples who are trying to conceive. Researchers have found that men who experienced two or more stressful life events in the past year had a lower percentage of sperm motility and a lower percentage of sperm of normal morphology (size and shape) compared with men who did not experience any stressful life events. [ 10 ]

In the female reproductive system, stress affects menstruation and may be associated with absent or irregular menstrual cycles, more painful periods, and changes in the length of cycles. It may make premenstrual symptoms worse or more difficult to cope with, such as cramping, fluid retention, bloating, negative mood, and mood swings. Chronic stress may also reduce sexual desire. Stress can negatively impact a woman’s ability to conceive, the health of her pregnancy, and her postpartum adjustment. Maternal stress can negatively impact fetal development, disrupt bonding with the baby following delivery, and increase the risk of postpartum depression. [ 11 ]

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Adults with adverse childhood experiences or exposure to adverse life events often experience ongoing chronic stress with an array of physical, mental, and social health problems throughout adulthood. Some of the most common health risks include physical and mental illness, substance use disorder, and a high level of engagement in risky sexual behavior. [ 12 ]

As previously discussed in Chapter 1 , adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) include sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, parental loss, or parental separation before the child is 18 years old. Individuals who have experienced four or more ACEs are at a significantly higher risk of developing mental, physical, and social problems in adulthood. Research has established that early life stress is a predictor of smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug dependence. Adults who experienced ACEs related to maladaptive family functioning (parental mental illness, substance use disorder, criminality, family violence, physical and sexual abuse, and neglect) are at higher risk for developing mood, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. ACEs are also associated with an increased risk of the development of malignancy, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and other chronic debilitating conditions. [ 13 ]

Signs and Symptoms of Stress

Nurses are often the first to notice signs and symptoms of stress and can help make their clients aware of these symptoms. Common signs and symptoms of chronic stress are as follows [ 14 ],[ 15 ]:

Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Rapid, disorganized thoughts
Difficulty sleeping
Digestive problems
Changes in appetite
Feeling helpless
A perceived loss of control
Low self-esteem
Loss of sexual desire
Nervousness
Frequent infections or illnesses
Vocalized suicidal thoughts

Stress Management

Recognizing signs and symptoms of stress allows individuals to implement stress management strategies. Nurses can educate clients about effective strategies for reducing the stress response. Effective strategies include the following [ 16 ],[ 17 ]:

Set personal and professional boundaries
Maintain a healthy social support network
Select healthy food choices
Engage in regular physical exercise
Get an adequate amount of sleep each night
Set realistic and fair expectations

Setting limits is essential for effectively managing stress. Individuals should list all of the projects and commitments making them feel overwhelmed, identify essential tasks, and cut back on nonessential tasks. For work-related projects, responsibilities can be discussed with supervisors to obtain input on priorities. Encourage individuals to refrain from accepting any more commitments until they feel their stress is under control. [ 18 ]

Maintaining a healthy social support network with friends and family can provide emotional support. [ 19 ] Caring relationships and healthy social connections are essential for achieving resilience.

Physical activity increases the body’s production of endorphins that boost the mood and reduce stress. Nurses can educate clients that a brisk walk or other aerobic activity can increase energy and concentration levels and lessen feelings of anxiety. [ 20 ]

People who are chronically stressed often suffer from lack of adequate sleep and, in some cases, stress-induced insomnia. Nurses can educate individuals how to take steps to increase the quality of sleep. Experts recommend going to bed at a regular time each night, striving for at least 7-8 hours of sleep, and, if possible, eliminating distractions, such as television, cell phones, and computers from the bedroom. Begin winding down an hour or two before bedtime and engage in calming activities such as listening to relaxing music, reading an enjoyable book, taking a soothing bath, or practicing relaxation techniques like meditation. Avoid eating a heavy meal or engaging in intense exercise immediately before bedtime. If a person tends to lie in bed worrying, encourage them to write down their concerns and work on quieting their thoughts. [ 21 ]

Nurses can encourage clients to set realistic expectations, look at situations more positively, see problems as opportunities, and refute negative thoughts to stay positive and minimize stress. Setting realistic expectations and positively reframing the way one looks at stressful situations can make life seem more manageable. Clients should be encouraged to keep challenges in perspective and do what they can reasonably do to move forward. [ 22 ]

Mindfulness is a form of meditation that uses breathing and thought techniques to create an awareness of one’s body and surroundings. Research suggests that mindfulness can have a positive impact on stress, anxiety, and depression. [ 23 ] Additionally, guided imagery may be helpful for enhancing relaxation. The use of guided imagery provides a narration that the mind can focus in on during the activity. For example, as the nurse encourages a client to use mindfulness and relaxation breathing, they may say, “As you breathe in, imagine waves rolling gently in. As you breathe out, imagine the waves rolling gently back out to sea.”

WHO Stress Management Guide

In addition to the stress management techniques discussed in the previous section, the World Health Organization (WHO) shares additional techniques in a guide titled Doing What Matters in Times of Stress . This guide is comprised of five categories. Each category includes techniques and skills that, based on evidence and field testing, can reduce overall stress levels even if only used for a few minutes each day. These categories include 1) Grounding, 2) Unhooking, 3) Acting on our values, 4) Being kind, and 5) Making room. [ 24 ]

Nurses can educate clients that powerful thoughts and feelings are a natural part of stress, but problems can occur if we get “hooked” by them. For example, one minute you might be enjoying a meal with family, and the next moment you get “hooked” by angry thoughts and feelings. Stress can make someone feel as if they are being pulled away from the values of the person they want to be, such as being calm, caring, attentive, committed, persistent, and courageous. [ 25 ]

There are many kinds of difficult thoughts and feelings that can “hook us,” such as, “This is too hard,” “I give up,” “I am never going to get this,” “They shouldn’t have done that,” or memories about difficult events that have occurred in our lives. When we get “hooked,” our behavior changes. We may do things that make our lives worse, like getting into more disagreements, withdrawing from others, or spending too much time lying in bed. These are called “away moves” because they move us away from our values. Sometimes emotions become so strong they feel like emotional storms. However, we can “unhook” ourselves by focusing and engaging in what we are doing, referred to as “grounding.” [ 26 ]

“Grounding” is a helpful tool when feeling distracted or having trouble focusing on a task and/or the present moment. The first step of grounding is to notice how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Next, slow down and connect with your body by focusing on your breathing. Exhale completely and wait three seconds, and then inhale as slowly as possible. Slowly stretch your arms and legs and push your feet against the floor. The next step is to focus on the world around you. Notice where you are and what you are doing. Use your five senses. What are five things you can see? What are four things you can hear? What can you smell? Tap your leg or squeeze your thumb and count to ten. Touch your knees or another object within reach. What does it feel like? Grounding helps us engage in life, refocus on the present moment, and realign with our values. [ 27 ]

At times we may have unwanted, intrusive, negative thoughts that negatively affect us. “Unhooking” is a tool to manage and decrease the impact of these unwanted thoughts. First, NOTICE that a thought or feeling has hooked you, and then NAME it. Naming it begins by silently saying, “Here is a thought,” or “Here is a feeling.” By adding “I notice,” it unhooks us even more. For example, “I notice there is a knot in my stomach.” The next step is to REFOCUS on what you are doing, fully engage in that activity, and pay full attention to whoever is with you and whatever you are doing. For example, if you are having dinner with family and notice feelings of anger, note “I am having feelings of anger,” but choose to refocus and engage with family. [ 28 ]

Acting on Our Values

The third category of skills is called “Acting on Our Values.” This means, despite challenges and struggles we are experiencing, we will act in line with what is important to us and our beliefs. Even when facing difficult situations, we can still make the conscious choice to act in line with our values. The more we focus on our own actions, the more we can influence our immediate world and the people and situations we encounter every day. We must continually ask ourselves, “Are my actions moving me toward or away from my values?” Remember that even the smallest actions have impact, just as a giant tree grows from a small seed. Even in the most stressful of times, we can take small actions to live by our values and maintain or create a more satisfying and fulfilling life. These values should also include self-compassion and care. By caring for oneself, we ultimately have more energy and motivation to then help others. [ 29 ]

“Being Kind” is a fourth tool for reducing stress. Kindness can make a significant difference to our mental health by being kind to others, as well as to ourselves.

Making Room

“Making Room” is a fifth tool for reducing stress. Sometimes trying to push away painful thoughts and feelings does not work very well. In these situations, it is helpful to notice and name the feeling, and then “make room” for it. “Making room” means allowing the painful feeling or thought to come and go like the weather. Nurses can educate clients that as they breathe, they should imagine their breath flowing into and around their pain and making room for it. Instead of fighting with the thought or feeling, they should allow it to move through them, just like the weather moves through the sky. If clients are not fighting with the painful thought or feeling, they will have more time and energy to engage with the world around them and do things that are important to them. [ 30 ]

Read Doing What Matters in Times of Stress by the World Health Organization (WHO).

View the following youtube video on the who stress management guide [ 31 ]:, stress related to the covid-19 pandemic and world events.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major effect on many people’s lives. Many health care professionals faced challenges that were stressful, overwhelming, and caused strong emotions. [ 32 ] See Figure 3.2 [ 33 ] for a message from the World Health Organization regarding stress and health care workers.

Stress and Healthcare Workers

Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way can increase feelings of resiliency for health care professionals. Here are ways to help manage stress resulting from world events [ 34 ]:

It can be important to do a self check-in before reading any news. “Do I have the emotional energy to handle a difficult headline if I see one?”
Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate
Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals
Exercise regularly
Get plenty of sleep
Avoid excessive alcohol, tobacco, and substance use
Continue routine preventive measures (such as vaccinations, cancer screenings, etc.) as recommended by your health care provider
Make time to unwind. Plan activities you enjoy.
Purposefully connect with others. It is especially important to stay connected with your friends and family. Helping others cope through phone calls or video chats can help you and your loved ones feel less lonely or isolated. Connect with your community or faith-based organizations.
Use the techniques described in the WHO stress management guide. [ 35 ]

Strategies for Self-Care

By becoming self-aware regarding signs of stress, you can implement self-care strategies to prevent compassion fatigue and burnout. Use the following “A’s” to assist in building resilience, connection, and compassion [ 36 ]:

Attention: Become aware of your physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health. What are you grateful for? What are your areas of improvement? This protects you from drifting through life on autopilot.
Acknowledgement: Honestly look at all you have witnessed as a health care professional. What insight have you experienced? Acknowledging the pain of loss you have witnessed protects you from invalidating the experiences.
Affection: Choose to look at yourself with kindness and warmth. Affection and self-compassion prevent you from becoming bitter and “being too hard” on yourself.
Acceptance: Choose to be at peace and welcome all aspects of yourself. By accepting both your talents and imperfections, you can protect yourself from impatience, victim mentality, and blame.

Many individuals have had to cope with grief and loss during the COVID pandemic. Read more about coping with grief and loss during COVID at the CDC’s Mental Health Grief and Loss webpage .

3.3. COPING

The health consequences of chronic stress depend on an individual’s coping styles and their resilience to real or perceived stress. Coping refers to cognitive and behavioral efforts made to master, tolerate, or reduce external and internal demands and conflicts. [ 1 ]

Coping strategies are actions, a series of actions, or thought processes used in meeting a stressful or unpleasant situation or in modifying one’s reaction to such a situation. Coping strategies are classified as adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive coping strategies include problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping typically focuses on seeking treatment such as counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy. Emotion-focused coping includes strategies such as mindfulness, meditation, and yoga; using humor and jokes; seeking spiritual or religious pursuits; engaging in physical activity or breathing exercises; and seeking social support.

Maladaptive coping responses include avoidance of the stressful condition, withdrawal from a stressful environment, disengagement from stressful relationships, and misuse of drugs and/or alcohol. [ 2 ] Nurses can educate individuals and their family members about adaptive, emotion-focused coping strategies and make referrals to interprofessional team members for problem-focused coping and treatment options for individuals experiencing maladaptive coping responses to stress.

Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies

Nurses can educate clients about many emotion-focused coping strategies, such as meditating, practicing yoga, journaling, praying, spending time in nature, nurturing supportive relationships, and practicing mindfulness.

Meditation can induce feelings of calm and clearheadedness and improve concentration and attention. Research has shown that meditation increases the brain’s gray matter density, which can reduce sensitivity to pain, enhance the immune system, help regulate difficult emotions, and relieve stress. Meditation has been proven helpful for people with depression and anxiety, cancer, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. [ 3 ] See Figure 3.3 [ 4 ] for an image of an individual participating in meditation.

Yoga is a centuries-old spiritual practice that creates a sense of union within the practitioner through physical postures, ethical behaviors, and breath expansion. The systematic practice of yoga has been found to reduce inflammation and stress, decrease depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and increase feelings of well-being. [ 5 ] See Figure 3.4 [ 6 ] for an image of an individual participating in yoga.

Journaling can help a person become more aware of their inner life and feel more connected to experiences. Studies show that writing during difficult times may help a person find meaning in life’s challenges and become more resilient in the face of obstacles. When journaling, it can be helpful to focus on three basic questions: What experiences give me energy? What experiences drain my energy? Were there any experiences today where I felt alive and experienced “flow”? Allow yourself to write freely, without stopping to edit or worry about spelling and grammar. [ 7 ]

Prayer can elicit the relaxation response, along with feelings of hope, gratitude, and compassion, all of which have a positive effect on overall well-being. There are several types of prayer rooted in the belief that there is a higher power. This belief can provide a sense of comfort and support in difficult times. A recent study found that adults who were clinically depressed who believed their prayers were heard by a concerned presence responded much better to treatment than those who did not believe. [ 8 ]

Individuals can be encouraged to find a spiritual community, such as a church, synagogue, temple, mosque, meditation center, or other local group that meets to discuss spiritual issues. The benefits of social support are well-documented, and having a spiritual community to turn to for fellowship can provide a sense of belonging and support. [ 9 ]

Spending Time in Nature

Spending time in nature is cited by many individuals as a spiritual practice that contributes to their mental health. [ 10 ] Spirituality is defined as a dynamic and intrinsic aspect of humanity through which persons seek ultimate meaning, purpose, and transcendence and experience relationship to self, family, others, community, society, nature, and the significant or sacred. [ 11 ] Spiritual needs and spirituality are often mistakenly equated with religion, but spirituality is a broader concept. Other elements of spirituality include meaning, love, belonging, forgiveness, and connectedness. [ 12 ]

Supportive Relationships

Individuals should be encouraged to nurture supportive relationships with family, significant others, and friends. Relationships aren’t static – they are living, dynamic aspects of our lives that require attention and care. To benefit from strong connections with others, individuals should take charge of their relationships and devote time and energy to support them. It can be helpful to create rituals together. With busy schedules and the presence of online social media that offer the façade of real contact, it’s very easy to drift from friends. Research has found that people who deliberately make time for gatherings enjoy stronger relationships and more positive energy. An easy way to do this is to create a standing ritual that you can share and that doesn’t create more stress, such as talking on the telephone on Fridays or sharing a walk during lunch breaks. [ 13 ]

Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been defined as, “Awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” Mindfulness has also been described as, “Non-elaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling, or sensation that arises is acknowledged and accepted as it is.” Mindfulness helps us be present in our lives and gives us some control over our reactions and repetitive thought patterns. It helps us pause, get a clearer picture of a situation, and respond more skillfully. Compare your default state to mindfulness when studying for an exam in a difficult course or preparing for a clinical experience. What do you do? Do you tell yourself, “I am not good at this” or “I am going to look stupid”? Does this distract you from paying attention to studying or preparing? How might it be different if you had an open attitude with no concern or judgment about your performance? What if you directly experienced the process as it unfolded, including the challenges, anxieties, insights, and accomplishments, while acknowledging each thought or feeling and accepting it without needing to figure it out or explore it further? If practiced regularly, mindfulness helps a person start to see the habitual patterns that lead to automatic negative reactions that create stress. By observing these thoughts and emotions instead of reacting to them, a person can develop a broader perspective and can choose a more effective response. [ 14 ]

Try free mindfulness activities at the Free Mindfulness Project .

Coping with loss and grief.

In addition to assisting individuals recognize and cope with their stress and anxiety, nurses can also use this knowledge regarding coping strategies to support clients and their family members as they cope with life changes, grief, and loss that can cause emotional problems and feelings of distress.

Review concepts and nursing care related to coping with grief and loss in the “ Grief and Loss ” chapter of Open RN Nursing Fundamentals .

3.4. defense mechanisms.

When providing clients with stress management techniques and effective coping strategies, nurses must be aware of common defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms are reaction patterns used by individuals to protect themselves from anxiety that arises from stress and conflict. [ 1 ] Excessive use of defense mechanisms is associated with specific mental health disorders. With the exception of suppression, all other defense mechanisms are unconscious and out of the awareness of the individual. See Table 3.4 for a description of common defense mechanisms.

Common Defense Mechanisms

3.5. CRISIS AND CRISIS INTERVENTION

If you were asked to describe someone in crisis, what would come to your mind? Many of us might draw on traditional images of someone anxiously wringing their hands, pacing the halls, having a verbal outburst, or acting erratically. Health care professionals should be aware that crisis can be reflected in these types of behaviors, but it can also be demonstrated in various verbal and nonverbal signs. There are many potential causes of crisis, and there are four phases an individual progresses through to crisis. Nurses and other health care professionals are often the frontline care providers when an individual faces a crisis, so it is important to recognize signs of crisis, know what to assess, intervene appropriately, and evaluate crisis resolution.

Definition of Crisis

A crisis can be broadly defined as the inability to cope or adapt to a stressor. Historically, the first examination of crisis and development of formal crisis intervention models occurred among psychologists in the 1960s and 1970s. Although definitions of crisis have evolved, there are central tenets related to an individual’s stress management.

Consider the historical context of crisis as first formally defined in the literature by Gerald Caplan. Crisis was defined as a situation that produces psychological disequilibrium in an individual and constitutes an important problem in which they can’t escape or solve with their customary problem-solving resources. [ 1 ] This definition emphasized the imbalance created by situation stressors.

Albert Roberts updated the concept of crisis management in more recent years to include a reflection on the level of an individual’s dysfunction. He defined crisis as an acute disruption of psychological homeostasis in which one’s usual coping mechanisms fail with evidence of distress and functional impairment. [ 2 ] A person’s subjective reaction to a stressful life experience compromises their ability (or inability) to cope or function.

Causes of Crisis

A crisis can emerge for individuals due to a variety of events. It is also important to note that events may be managed differently by different individuals. For example, a stressful stimulus occurring for Patient A may not induce the same crisis response as it does for Patient B. Therefore, nurses must remain vigilant and carefully monitor each patient for signs of emerging crisis.

A crisis commonly occurs when individuals experience some sort of significant life event. These events may be unanticipated, but that is not always the case. An example of anticipated life events that may cause a crisis include the birth of a baby. For example, the birth (although expected) can result in a crisis for some individuals as they struggle to cope with and adapt to this major life change. Predictable, routine schedules from before the child was born are often completely upended. Priorities shift to an unyielding focus on the needs of the new baby. Although many individuals welcome this change and cope effectively with the associated life changes, it can induce crises in those who are unprepared for such a change.

Crisis situations are more commonly associated with unexpected life events. Individuals who experience a newly diagnosed critical or life-altering illness are at risk for experiencing a crisis. For example, a client experiencing a life-threatening myocardial infarction or receiving a new diagnosis of cancer may experience a crisis. Additionally, the crisis may be experienced by family and loved ones of the patient as well. Nurses should be aware that crisis intervention and the need for additional support may occur in these types of situations and often extend beyond the needs of the individual patient.

Other events that may result in crisis development include stressors such as the loss of a job, loss of one’s home, divorce, or death of a loved one. It is important to be aware that clustering of multiple events can also cause stress to build sequentially so that individuals can no longer successfully manage and adapt, resulting in crisis.

Categories of Crises

Due to a variety of stimuli that can cause the emergence of a crisis, crises can be categorized to help nurses and health care providers understand the crisis experience and the resources that may be most beneficial for assisting the client and their family members. Crises can be characterized into one of three categories: maturational, situational, or social crisis. Table 3.5a explains characteristics of the different categories of crises and provides examples of stressors associated with that category.

Phases of Crisis

The process of crisis development can be described as four distinct phases. The phases progress from initial exposure to the stressor, to tension escalation, to an eventual breaking point. These phases reflect a sequential progression in which resource utilization and intervention are critical for assisting a client in crisis. Table 3.5b describes the various phases of crisis, their defining characteristics, and associated signs and symptoms that individuals may experience as they progress through each phase.

Crisis Phases [3],[4]

Crisis Assessment

Nurses must be aware of the potential impact of stressors for their clients and the ways in which they may manifest in a crisis. The first step in assessing for crisis occurs with the basic establishment of a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Understanding who your patient is, what is occurring in their life, what resources are available to them, and their individual beliefs, supports, and general demeanor can help a nurse determine if a patient is at risk for ineffective coping and possible progression to crisis.

Crisis symptoms can manifest in various ways. Nurses should carefully monitor for signs of the progression through the phases of crisis such as the following:

Escalating anxiety
Confusion or disordered thinking
Anger and hostility
Helplessness and withdrawal
Inefficiency
Hopelessness and depression
Steps toward resolution and reorganization

When a nurse identifies these signs in a patient or their family members, it is important to carefully explore the symptoms exhibited and the potential stressors. Collecting information regarding the severity of the stress response, the individual’s or family’s resources, and the crisis phase can help guide the nurse and health care team toward appropriate intervention.

Crisis Interventions

Crisis intervention is an important role for the nurse and health care team to assist patients and families toward crisis resolution. Resources are employed, and interventions are implemented to therapeutically assist the individual in whatever phase of crisis they are experiencing. Depending on the stage of the crisis, various strategies and resources are used.

The goals of crisis intervention are the following:

Identify, assess, and intervene
Return the individual to a prior level of functioning as quickly as possible
Lessen negative impact on future mental health

During the crisis intervention process, new skills and coping strategies are acquired, resulting in change. A crisis state is time-limited, usually lasting several days but no longer than four to six weeks.

Various factors can influence an individual’s ability to resolve a crisis and return to equilibrium, such as realistic perception of an event, adequate situational support, and adequate coping strategies to respond to a problem. Nurses can implement strategies to reinforce these factors.

Strategies for Crisis Phase 1 and 2

Table 3.5c describes strategies and techniques for early phases of a crisis that can help guide the individual toward crisis resolution.

Phase 1 & 2 Early Crisis Intervention Strategies [5]

Strategies for Crisis Phase 3

If an individual continues to progress in severity to higher levels of crisis, the previously identified verbal and nonverbal interventions for Phase 1 and Phase 2 may be received with a variability of success. For example, for a receptive individual who is still in relative control of their emotions, the verbal and nonverbal interventions may still be well-received. However, if an individual has progressed to Phase 3 with emotional lability, the nurse must recognize this escalation and take additional measures to protect oneself. If an individual demonstrates loss of problem-solving ability or the loss of control, the nurse must take measures to ensure safety for themselves and others in all interactions with the patient. This can be accomplished by calling security or other staff to assist when engaging with the patient. It is important to always note the location of exits in the patient’s room and ensure the patient is never between the nurse and the exit. Rapid response devices may be worn, and nurses should feel comfortable using them if a situation begins to escalate.

Verbal cues can still hold significant power even in a late phase of crisis. The nurse should provide direct cues to an escalating patient such as, “Mr. Andrews, please sit down and take a few deep breaths. I understand you are angry. You need to gain control of your emotions, or I will have to call security for assistance.” This strategy is an example of limit-setting that can be helpful for de-escalating the situation and defusing tension. Setting limits is important for providing behavioral guidance to a patient who is escalating, but it is very different from making threats. Limit-setting describes the desired behavior whereas making threats is nontherapeutic. See additional examples contrasting limit-setting and making threats in the following box. [ 6 ]

Examples of Limit-Setting Versus Making Threats [ 7 ]

Threat: “If you don’t stop, I’m going to call security!”
Limit-Setting: “Please sit down. I will have to call for assistance if you can’t control your emotions.”
Threat: “If you keep pushing the call button over and over like that, I won’t help you.”
Limit-Setting: “Ms. Ferris, I will come as soon as I am able when you need assistance, but please give me a chance to get to your room.”
Threat: “That type of behavior won’t be tolerated!”
Limit-Setting: “Mr. Barron, please stop yelling and screaming at me. I am here to help you.”

Strategies for Crisis Phase 4

A person who is experiencing an elevated phase of crisis is not likely to be in control of their emotions, cognitive processes, or behavior. It is important to give them space so they don’t feel trapped. Many times these individuals are not responsive to verbal intervention and are solely focused on their own fear, anger, frustration, or despair. Don’t try to argue or reason with them. Individuals in Phase 4 of crisis often experience physical manifestations such as rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, and pacing.

If you can’t successfully de-escalate an individual who is becoming increasingly more agitated, seek assistance. If you don’t believe there is an immediate danger, call a psychiatrist, psychiatric-mental health nurse specialist, therapist, case manager, social worker, or family physician who is familiar with the person’s history. The professional can assess the situation and provide guidance, such as scheduling an appointment or admitting the person to the hospital. If you can’t reach someone and the situation continues to escalate, consider calling your county mental health crisis unit, crisis response team, or other similar contacts. If the situation is life-threatening or if serious property damage is occurring, call 911 and ask for immediate assistance. When you call 911, tell them someone is experiencing a mental health crisis and explain the nature of the emergency, your relationship to the person in crisis, and whether there are weapons involved. Ask the 911 operator to send someone trained to work with people with mental illnesses such as a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) officer. [ 8 ]

A nurse who assesses a patient in this phase should observe the patient’s behaviors and take measures to ensure the patient and others remain safe. A person who is out of control may require physical or chemical restraints to be safe. Nurses must be aware of organizational policies and procedures, as well as documentation required for implementing restraints, if the patient’s or others’ safety is in jeopardy.

Review guidelines for safe implementation of restraints in the “ Restraints ” section of Open RN Nursing Fundamentals .

Crisis resources.

Depending on the type of stressors and the severity of the crisis experienced, there are a variety of resources that can be offered to patients and their loved ones. Nurses should be aware of community and organizational resources that are available in their practice settings. Support groups, hotlines, shelters, counseling services, and other community resources like the Red Cross may be helpful. Read more about potential national and local resources in the following box.

Mental Health Crisis Resources

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Health ADRC of Central Wisconsin Wisconsin County Crisis Lines Wisconsin Suicide & Crisis Hotlines

Mental Health Crisis

When an individual is diagnosed with a mental health disorder, the potential for crisis is always present. Risk of suicide is always a priority concern for people with mental health conditions in crisis. Any talk of suicide should always be taken seriously. Most people who attempt suicide have given some warning. If someone has attempted suicide before, the risk is even greater. Read more about assessing suicide risk in the “ Establishing Safety ” section of Chapter 1. Encouraging someone who is having suicidal thoughts to get help is a safety priority.

Common signs that a mental health crisis is developing are as follows:

Inability to perform daily tasks like bathing, brushing teeth, brushing hair, or changing clothes
Rapid mood swings, increased energy level, inability to stay still, pacing, suddenly depressed or withdrawn, or suddenly happy or calm after period of depression
Increased agitation with verbal threats; violent, out-of-control behavior or destruction of property
Abusive behavior to self and others, including substance misuse or self-harm (cutting)
Isolation from school, work, family, or friends
Loss of touch with reality (psychosis) – unable to recognize family or friends, confused, doesn’t understand what people are saying, hearing voices, or seeing things that aren’t there

Clients with mental illness and their loved ones need information for what to do if they are experiencing a crisis. Navigating a Mental Health Crisis: A NAMI Resource Guide for Those Experiencing a Mental Health Emergency provides important, potentially life-saving information for people experiencing mental health crises and their loved ones. It outlines what can contribute to a crisis, warning signs that a crisis is emerging, strategies to help de-escalate a crisis, and available resources.

Read NAMI’s Navigating a Mental Health Crisis: A NAMI Resource Guide for Those Experiencing a Mental Health Emergency .

3.6. applying the nursing process to stress and coping.

This section will review the nursing process as it applies to stress and coping.

Assessments Related to Stress and Coping

Here are several nursing assessments used to determine an individual’s response to stress and their strategies for stress management and coping:

Recognize nonverbal cues of physical or psychological stress
Assess for environmental stressors affecting client care
Assess for signs of abuse or neglect
Assess client’s ability to cope with life changes
Assess family dynamics
Assess the potential for violence
Assess client’s support systems and available resources
Assess client’s ability to adapt to temporary/permanent role changes
Assess client’s reaction to a diagnosis of acute or chronic mental illness (e.g., rationalization, hopefulness, anger)
Assess constructive use of defense mechanisms by a client
Assess if the client has successfully adapted to situational role changes (e.g., accept dependency on others)
Assess client’s ability to cope with end-of-life interventions
Recognize the need for psychosocial support to the family/caregiver
Assess clients for maladaptive coping such as substance abuse
Identify a client in crisis

Diagnoses Related to Stress and Coping

Nursing diagnoses related to stress and coping are Stress Overload and Ineffective Coping . See Table 3.6 to compare the definitions and defining characteristics for these nursing diagnoses.

Stress and Coping Nursing Diagnoses

Outcomes Identification

An outcome is a measurable behavior demonstrated by the patient responsive to nursing interventions. Outcomes should be identified before nursing interventions are planned. Outcomes identification includes setting short- and long-term goals and then creating specific expected outcome statements for each nursing diagnosis. Goals are broad, general statements, and outcomes are specific and measurable. Expected outcomes are statements of measurable action for the patient within a specific time frame that are responsive to nursing interventions.

Expected outcome statements should contain five components easily remembered using the “SMART” mnemonic:

Attainable/Action oriented
Relevant/Realistic

An example of a SMART outcome related to Stress Overload is, “The client will identify two stressors that can be modified or eliminated by the end of the week.”

An example of a SMART outcome related to Ineffective Coping is, “The client will identify three preferred coping strategies to implement by the end of the week.”

Implementation

When implementing nursing interventions to enhance client coping, it is important to recognize signs of a crisis and maintain safety for the client, oneself, and others. Review signs of a client in crisis and crisis intervention strategies in the “ Crisis and Crisis Intervention ” section of this chapter.

After implementing individualized interventions for a client, it is vital to evaluate their effectiveness. Review the specific SMART outcomes and deadlines that have been established for a client and determine if interventions were effective in meeting these outcomes or if the care plan requires modification.

3.7. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

III. GLOSSARY

Coping strategies, including problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping.

Potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, parental loss, or parental separation before the child is 18 years old.

Cognitive and behavioral efforts made to master, tolerate, or reduce external and internal demands and conflicts. [ 1 ]

An action, series of actions, or a thought process used in meeting a stressful or unpleasant situation or in modifying one’s reaction to such a situation. [ 2 ]

The inability to cope or adapt to a stressor.

Unconscious reaction patterns used by individuals to protect themselves from anxiety that arises from stress and conflict. [ 3 ]

Adaptive coping strategies such as practicing mindfulness, meditation, and yoga; using humor and jokes; seeking spiritual or religious pursuits; engaging in physical activity or breathing exercises; and seeking social support.

Ineffective responses to stressors such as avoidance of the stressful condition, withdrawal from a stressful environment, disengagement from stressful relationships, and misuse of drugs and/or alcohol.

Adaptive coping strategies that typically focus on seeking treatment such as counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy.

The body’s physiological response to a real or perceived stressor. For example, the respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems are activated to breathe rapidly, stimulate the heart to pump more blood, dilate the blood vessels, and increase blood pressure to deliver more oxygenated blood to the muscles.

Any internal or external event, force, or condition that results in physical or emotional stress.

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Cite this Page Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Nursing: Mental Health and Community Concepts [Internet]. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2022. Chapter 3 Stress, Coping, and Crisis Intervention.
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INTRODUCTION
DEFENSE MECHANISMS
CRISIS AND CRISIS INTERVENTION
APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS TO STRESS AND COPING
LEARNING ACTIVITIES

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Claire Malengret and Claire Dall'Osto

This chapter provides a foundation for understanding the nature of a crisis, how a person may be impacted by a crisis, and the models, processes, and strategies a crisis counsellor uses to assess and intervene when people in crisis seek help and support. With an emphasis on how crisis intervention differs from other counselling interventions, a case study is provided with the aim to help the reader reflect on and apply relevant crisis models of assessment and intervention learned in this chapter. Further differentiation is made between crisis stressors resulting in exposure to a traumatic event and ongoing traumatic stress responses requiring long-term counselling, psychiatric services, or specialised mental health intervention. Due to the nature of crisis work, there is a high prevalence of burnout and work-related stress in this field. As such, counsellors working in crisis work need to practice self-care, regular clinical supervision, and the continuing maintenance of the counsellor’s general health and wellbeing.

Learning Objectives

Describe the nature of crisis.
Identify the types of crisis.
Recognise and understand common emotional, physical, behavioural, and cognitive reactions of people in crisis.
Analyse the major theories underpinning crisis counselling interventions.
Examine the importance and role of the therapeutic relationship within crisis counselling.
Apprehend the ethical implications and professional issues of crisis intervention.
Identify trauma definitions, assessment, and treatment approaches.
Identify and reflect on your own personal history and experiences of crisis, including responses.
Recognise and understand the impact of crisis counselling work on the counsellor and the need to implement self-care practices and stress management strategies.

Introduction

We live in a world where millions of people are confronted with crisis-provoking events each year that they cannot cope with or resolve on their own and, therefore, will often seek help from counsellors. Examples of crisis-inducing events include natural disasters such as bushfires, sexual assaults, terrorist attacks, the death of a loved one, a suicide attempt, domestic violence, relationship breakdown, retirement, promotion, and demotion, change in school status, pregnancy, divorce, physical illness, unemployment, and more recently, a world pandemic. These situations can be a turning point in a person’s life—either one of growth, strength, and opportunity or health decline, dysfunction, and emotional illness (Roberts & Dziegielewski, 1995; Roberts, 2005; Hoff et al., 2009). When people experience a crisis, it is the support they receive during and immediately after the crisis that often plays a crucial part in determining the impact of the crisis on their lives (France, 2014). Therefore, it is imperative crisis counsellors have the understanding, skills, and knowledge to offer a short-term intervention that assists people in crisis to cope, stabilise and receive the support and resources they need.

What is a crisis?

When a person experiences a crisis, they experience severe disruption of their psychological equilibrium and are unable to use their usual ways of coping. This then results in a state of disequilibrium and impaired functioning (Lewis & Roberts, 2001; Roberts, 2005). Because the person is unable to draw on their everyday problem-solving methods during a crisis, and there is a sense of diminished control over the events and limited options, they may experience confusion or bewilderment (Hendricks, 1985; Pollio, 1995).

Crisis states are temporary, lasting from hours through to an estimated six weeks, as the body cannot sustain being ‘off balance’ or in a state of disequilibrium, indefinitely. Resolving a crisis effectively may take some months, and this may involve learning new skills, reappraising the situation differently, or adapting to the new situation. Because people may resolve the crisis in a maladaptive or adaptive manner, some may be impacted by various mental health conditions such as depression, substance abuse, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Roberts, 2005).

There are four types of crises that a person may experience and include:

developmental crisis or crisis in the life cycle (adjustments to transitions such as ageing, parenting)
situational crisis (sexual assault, natural disaster, car accident)
existential crisis (inner turmoil or conflicts in relation to the way a person lives their life, and views of their meaning and purpose)
systemic crisis (the impact of colonisation on our First nations’ people or the 2009 Victorian ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires) (James & Myer, 2008).

Crisis is in the eye of the beholder

It is important to note the difficult task of defining a crisis. This is due to the subjectivity of the concept. Although the main reason for a crisis is usually preceded by a traumatic or hazardous event, it is imperative to realise that the individual’s perception of the event and their inability to cope with the event are two other conditions to consider. Focusing only on the event itself also suggests that one can categorise a crisis but that all people may respond in the same manner to a particular event. Thus, it is not the actual event that activates a crisis state, but how a person interprets or perceives these events, how they cope, and the degree to which they have access to social resources, that determine how they respond. In other words, crisis is in the eye of the beholder (Hoff et al., 2009; Hoffer & Martin, 2020).

This perception is influenced by several factors in a person’s life, such as personal characteristics, biological, gender, culture, attachment style, previous life experiences, social context, personal values, level of resilience, influences, availability of social support, previous trauma, and history of major mental illness (Loughran, 2011; Roberts & Ottens, 2005). It is also important to understand that people who are reacting to a crisis are not necessarily showing pathological responses but normal crisis responses to an abnormal event (Bateman, 2010; Hobfoll et al., 2007; James, 2008).

Principles and characteristics of crisis

The following principles and characteristics help to create an understanding of the nature of a crisis, and emphasise not only the important work of a crisis counsellor but the values and philosophical assumptions that need to guide their practice:

crisis embodies both danger and opportunity for the person experiencing the crisis
crisis contains the seeds of growth and impetus for change
crisis is usually time limited but may develop into a prolonged crisis if the person experiences a series of stressful situations after the crisis
crisis is often complex and difficult to resolve
a crisis counsellor’s experiences of crisis in their personal life may greatly enhance their effectiveness in crisis intervention
quick fixes may not be applicable to many crisis situations
crisis confronts people with choices
emotional disequilibrium or disorganization accompany crisis
the resolution of crisis and the personhood of crisis workers interrelate (James, 2008, p. 19).

Learning activity 1

How do you think your previous life experiences of crisis may increase your effectiveness as a crisis counsellor?
What personal qualities do you possess that may enhance an intervention that you use with a person who has experienced a crisis?
What are the risks of having unresolved crisis experiences as a counsellor, and how might this impact your effectiveness in crisis work?

Common reactions to a crisis

Listed here are some of the common reactions a person might experience, which are normal responses given the abnormality of the event they have experienced.

Table content sourced from Massazza et al ., (2021) used under a CC BY licence and Wahlström et al ., (2013) used under a CC BY-NC licence.

Learning activity 2

Imagine your life on a timeline from when you were born up until today. On this timeline, plot the most important or critical events (positive or negative) in your life that were turning points or changed you in some way.

Looking at the critical events on your timeline, which events would you see as a crisis?
How did those events change you?

What is crisis counselling?

Crisis counselling is an immediate response to people experiencing overwhelming events and may prevent the potential negative impact of psychological trauma. It focuses on the here and now, dealing with the immediate presenting needs at the point of crisis, and providing emergency psychological care to assist in helping the person return to an adaptive level of functioning (Flannery & Everly, 2000; Hobfoll et al., 2007).

The key goals that underpin crisis counselling frameworks and models are:

meeting the person who is experiencing a crisis where they are at
assessing and monitoring the person’s level of risk
assisting them in mobilising of resources
stabilising (by reducing distress
improved or restored adaptive functioning (where possible) (Roberts & Ottens, 2005).

The difference between crisis counselling and other counselling interventions

Crisis counselling is different to the provision of ongoing therapeutic support. Because crisis counselling offers short-term strategies to prevent damage during and immediately after the person has experienced a crisis or devastating event, it requires that the counsellor be more active and directive than usual (James, 2008). Ongoing counselling may follow on from crisis to ensure the long-term improvement of a person’s mental health and wellbeing, but this is not the goal of crisis counselling. Instead, the goal is to provide a responsive and timely intervention to return a person to previous levels of functioning through the implementation of mobilising necessary resources, including the facilitation of links to these resources (Flannery & Everly, 2000). Given crisis counselling is the implementation of a short-term measure of support, it is often referred to as brief intervention or brief therapy. The timeframe for crisis counselling is between six to ten weeks and is guided by specific relevant models, guiding principles, and actions (Hendricks, 1985).

Case study: A bushfire crisis

You are part of a mobile service team who travels to a fire-affected area to provide support to individuals, families and emergency services workers affected by the recent bushfires. You arrive at a regional town that has just been devastated by catastrophic bushfires. A recovery centre has been set up at the local town hall and 700 individuals and families are presently seeking support at this recovery centre. You are assigned to Brett (35), a cattle farmer whose property, livestock, and beloved dog were lost in the fires. Brett is a third-generation cattle farmer on his family property. Within the first few minutes of meeting him, you observe that recalling these events for him results in constant tearfulness, and a questioning of what he could have done to be more prepared to have a different outcome. Brett explains that he has not slept in several days, and if he does sleep, he has nightmares. He also expresses to you that he does not know what the future holds for him now. Brett explains that he cannot focus for very long because he finds it difficult to believe this has happened to him. You observe that Brett appears to be numb and detached and unable to articulate his narrative in a linear and clear manner. Brett explains that he feels concerned for his ten employees who are no longer able to support their families. He also mentions that recently he went through a divorce which he felt devastated by at the time.

Learning activity 3

From Brett’s reactions, what suggests that he is experiencing a crisis?
What is the contributing factor that disrupts Brett’s equilibrium most? Is it the nature of the crisis event itself or the way Brett responds?
Are there any risk factors to consider in Brett’s case?

Traumatic stress, crisis, and trauma

The term crisis is not interchangeable with traumatic stress and trauma. Dulmus and Hilarski (2003) explain a person is in a crisis state when they have experienced a situation or event and they have been unable to cope with it by utilising their usual coping mechanisms to lessen the impact of the event. This results in the person entering a state of disequilibrium (Roberts & Ottens, 2005).

Traumatic stress is when a crisis or event, such as child abuse, rape, combat trauma, and catastrophic natural disasters, overwhelms normal coping skills and is perceived as life-threatening (Behrman & Reid, 2002). Trauma can be defined as ‘… an experience of extreme stress or shock that is/or was, at some point, part of life’ (Gomes, 2014).

It is adaptive and normal for a person who has been exposed to a traumatic event to exhibit some anxiety in the early stages as this enables them to maintain vigilance as a way to increase safety. Others may feel numb after being exposed to a traumatic event. This is also an adaptive and normal response as much-needed insulation is provided to a person’s psychological system after the traumatic event (McNally et al., 2003). Those who do experience a traumatic injury can suffer from long-lasting consequences that impact them physically, cognitively, emotionally, and financially (Herrera-Escobar et al., 2021).

It is common for acute stress symptoms to be experienced after a traumatic event. When a person is exposed to a threat, neurotransmitters and hormones inform a physical response. The sympathetic nervous system is activated through a series of interconnected neurons that initiate a fight or flight response. The body releases glucose and adrenalin, increases heart rate and respiration, and remains in a state of high alert to manage any additional threat. At this point in time, the person is trying to make sense of their experience and is often feeling afraid and vulnerable as they attempt to rationalise what just occurred. Anxiety, loss of appetite, irritability, sleep difficulties, concentration difficulties, and hypervigilance can occur whilst in this physiological state. Warchal and Graham (2011) further explain that a person can have recurrent and involuntary memories of the traumatic event. A heightened state of arousal makes it difficult for them to respond normally, make decisions, and complete paperwork to link them to resources. Walsh (2007) explains that most people adapt and cope and therefore do not suffer long-term disturbance.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Ongoing therapeutic support is required if a person continues to experience feelings of helplessness, intense fear or horror, re-living the traumatic event, hypervigilance, or emotional numbness. Norris et al. (2002) identified ongoing support to include long-term counselling or psychiatric services, or specialised mental health intervention. People generally possess enough resilience to circumvent the development of trauma symptoms that inform a formal trauma diagnosis, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The DSM5-TR classifies PTSD as an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022). Rosenman (2002) reported that 57% of the Australian population reported a lifetime experience of a specified trauma. There are four different categories PTSD can be clustered into: (1) recurrent re-experiences of the traumatic event in the form of intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or flashbacks; (2) numbing and avoidance of trauma-related stimuli; (3) hyperarousal and reactivity; and (4) alterations in cognitions and mood (APA, 2022).

The origins and development of crisis counselling interventions

The research and development of crisis intervention originates in the 1940’s when the reactions of people whose loved ones had died in a fire at a nightclub in Boston in 1943 were recorded and studied by psychiatrist Erich Lindemann and his colleagues (Lindemann, 1944). Another psychiatrist, Gerald Caplan, expanded on this work and developed a four-stage model of crisis reactions (or phases of reactions that a person in a crisis may experience) which have formed the foundation for later contributions from theorists in crisis counselling. Caplan (1961, 1964) describes these phases as follows:

Phase 1 : increase in tension and distress from the crisis-inducing event

Phase 2 : there is an escalation in the disruption of the person’s life as they are stuck and cannot resolve the crisis quickly

Phase 3 : the person cannot resolve the crisis through their usual problem-solving methods

Phase 4 : the person resolves the crisis by mental collapse or deterioration, or they partially resolve it by adopting new ways of coping.

Erikson’s (1963) stage model of developmental crises and Roberts’ (1995) seven-stage crisis intervention model have led to the development of numerous crisis intervention models, particularly in the last two decades. Erikson’s focus was on World War II veterans’ disconnect from their culture together with the confusion associated with the traumatic war experiences rather than focusing on men suffering from repressed conflicts. Erikson assessed that veterans were experiencing confusion of identity about what they were and who they were in direct opposition to the lens of repressed conflict being used during this time period.

Characteristics of the crisis counsellor

The crisis counsellor’s ability to remain calm and simultaneously avoid subjective involvement in the crisis is crucial. This means that crisis counselling may not be suitable for every counsellor (Shapiro & Koocher, 1996). A crisis counsellor should communicate in a manner that is patient, sensitive, self-aware, and compassionate. Other characteristics and behaviours include warmth, understanding and acceptance, being available but not intrusive or controlling, trustworthy, empathic, caring, displaying effective listening skills, encouraging the person seeking appropriate referrals and support, and being able to maintain confidentiality (Bateman, 2010; Rainer & Brown, 2011; Westefeld & Heckman-Stone, 2003).

The crisis counsellor aims to establish a therapeutic relationship as they do in general counselling, however in crisis counselling, they do so in a shorter time-frame period. Other crisis intervention skills include encouragement, basic attending and listening skills, reflection of emotions, and instilling hope (cf. Ivey & Ivey, 2007; James, 2008).

Key crisis interventions

As mentioned previously, crisis intervention provides the opportunity for the crisis counsellor to help facilitate an independent decision-making process with the client by promoting them as the agent of change in their life and assisting them to identify and utilise their own resources (France, 2014).

When determining if crisis intervention is the most relevant intervention, several categories are to be considered. These include:

a cumulative effect
the impact on a person
their family and community
the unexpectedness and duration of the event or situation; and
a person’s level of control over the event or situation (Hendricks, 1985).

Critical incident stress debriefing

Developed in 1974 by Jeffrey T. Mitchell, critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) or psychological debriefing is a seven-phase supportive crisis intervention process that was initially used with small groups of first responders such as firefighters, paramedics, and police officers to help them manage their reactions and distress following their exposure to a traumatic event (Mitchell, 1983). Over time, CISD became an intervention used with groups outside of emergency services, such as hospitals, businesses, schools, community groups and churches. However, although CISD is used extensively, current research shows mixed results for the use of this intervention with some findings suggesting that it is ineffective in preventing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and even contributing to the worsening of stress-related symptoms in individuals who received this type of intervention (Bledsoe, 2003).

The next section will address assessment in crisis intervention followed by an outline of two key crisis interventions, Roberts’ seven-stage model of crisis intervention and psychological first aid, and an application of these interventions to Brett’s case.

Assessment in crisis intervention

The responsibility of the crisis counsellor is to conduct a structured assessment in a timely and responsive manner to assess whether psychological homeostasis has been disrupted, there is evidence of dysfunction and distress, and usual coping mechanisms are not able to be utilised. Assessment is ongoing throughout the intervention process and allows the crisis counsellor to evaluate the person’s affective and cognitive state, and behavioural functioning. By assessing these three areas, the crisis counsellor can evaluate and monitor how adaptively or maladaptively the person is functioning, including whether they are a danger to themselves or others, and then apply the most appropriate intervention (James, 2008).

Listed below are examples of what a crisis counsellor is looking for across the three domains when assessing people who have experienced a crisis:

Do they appear to be emotionally overwhelmed or severely withdrawn?
Is what they are saying coherent and logical or are they not making sense?
When observing their behaviours, are they pacing? Are they having difficulty breathing?
Are they able to sit calmly?
Are they unresponsive?

When people express suicidal ideation or have a plan to suicide, it is crucial to conduct a rapid suicide risk assessment which includes gathering information by inquiring about the following:

How long they have been having suicidal thoughts?
Have they made any suicide attempts in the past?
Have they recently sought help?
Do they have a plan to suicide?
If they do have a plan, do they have access to the means to carry out this plan?

Further information and guidelines on suicide risk assessment can be found at the end of this chapter in the Recommended referral and resources list section. There is also a specific chapter in this book related to suicide.

Helplines – phone counselling and support

There is a range of organisations in Australia that provide support for people who are in crisis and need to talk to someone about their distress. Due to their convenience, accessibility, affordability, and relative anonymity, these helplines are a common form of crisis support.

Lifeline Australia 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636

Mensline Australia 1300 78 99 78

Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800

1800RESPECT 1800 737 732

Roberts’ seven-stage crisis model

Roberts’ (1995, 2005) seven-stage model of crisis intervention is a cognitive-behaviourally based, systematic, and structured model used for crisis assessment and intervention. It is a common model used by crisis counsellors to help people build and restore their ways of coping and improve their problem-solving skills that a crisis may evoke.

With a focus on strengths and resiliency, these sequential stages can be applied to a broad range of crisis situations and are as follows:

plan and conduct a thorough assessment including, danger to self and others, imminent danger, lethality
make psychological contact, establish rapport and rapidly establish the collaborative relationship by showing genuine respect for the individual and having a non-judgmental attitude
identify major problems or the dimensions of the problems including the precipitating event
encourage exploration of feelings and emotions including active listening, reassurance and validation
generate and explore alternatives including untapped resources and new coping strategies
develop and formulate an action plan
plan follow-up and leave the door open for booster sessions which may occur three to six months later (Roberts, 2005, p. 21).

Psychological first aid

Identified as the first level of post-incident short-term care, psychological first aid is an evidenced-based model that provides emotional and practical support to individuals, groups, and communities impacted by a natural disaster, catastrophic event, traumatic or terrorist event, or another emergency situation (Australian Red Cross & Australian Psychological Society, 2010; Ruzek et al., 2007). The aim of psychological first aid is to help people reduce their initial symptoms, have their current needs met, and support them in implementing adaptive coping strategies.

Psychological first aid meets the following four basic standards:

Consistent with evidence and research on risk and resilience following trauma (that is, evidence-informed)
Applicable and practical in field settings (compared with a medical/health professional office somewhere)
Appropriate for developmental levels across the lifespan (e.g., there are different techniques available for supporting children, adolescents, and adults)
Culturally informed and delivered in a flexible manner, as it is often offered by members of the same community as the supported individuals (Ruzek et al., 2007).

Psychological first aid is based on the understanding that, just as natural disasters, catastrophic events, traumatic or terrorist events, or other emergency situation differ vastly from each other, so do the psychological reactions of individuals, groups and communities experiencing them. Because some of these reactions can interfere with an individual’s ability to cope and manage the crisis, psychological first aid can help in their recovery. Psychological first aid has five basic elements that are to promote:

self-efficacy (self-empowerment)
connectedness
hope (Hobfoll et al., 2007).

Case study: Crisis intervention

Roberts’ seven-stage model of crisis intervention

Using Roberts’ (2005) seven-stage model as an intervention with Brett, your first step is to conduct a psychosocial and lethality assessment. As he tells his story to you, you need to gather information such as whether he has any emotional support, any medical needs, how he is coping, and whether he is currently using any drugs and/or alcohol. Assessing any imminent danger and ascertaining whether Brett may be at risk of suicide is also a priority in this initial stage. Although in this case, Brett may not talk about having suicidal thoughts (i.e., suicidal ideation) or have a suicide plan, he does say, “I don’t know what the future holds for me now”, which at this point would prompt a probing question in checking what he means. It would be important to consider other risk factors, such as previous mental health issues, being socially isolated, or recently experienced a significant loss (for example, Brett has recently divorced which may be a risk factor in his case).

The second stage is about building rapport with Brett which you may have established already from taking the time to be present and hear his story in the assessment stage. This stage is crucial in developing a therapeutic relationship with Brett and, therefore, it is important you show a genuine interest in his story, respect and accept him, and also display fundamental qualities and characteristics of a crisis counsellor as discussed earlier in the chapter.

Crisis intervention is focused on the major problems, so in this next stage, you are wanting to find out why Brett has sought help now. This might seem obvious as you might assume it is the devastation of the fire. This may not be the priority issue, therefore, at this point you are not only finding out about the event that ‘was the last straw’ but you are also helping Brett prioritise the problems to work through. It is important that you gain an understanding of why those problems make it a crisis for him.

In stage four of this model (i.e., encourage exploration of feelings and emotions) you are actively listening to Brett’s story, allowing him to express and vent his feelings, and giving him the opportunity to articulate what it is about the situation that is making it difficult for him to cope. You may challenge some of his responses by giving him correct information and reframing his statements and interpretations about the situation.

Generating and exploring alternatives (stage 5) can be ‘tricky’ as the timing needs to be appropriate to help Brett explore options in moving forward to resolve the crisis. If you have established rapport, listened to his story, and Brett feels heard and understood, he may be more open to this. A strategy may include asking Brett, “How have you coped in the past when you’ve been through a crisis and felt the same way you do now?”.

Stage six includes implementing an action plan to address some of the problems he has identified, for example, making an appointment with his general practitioner regarding the poor sleep patterns he is experiencing. This stage also involves asking questions that may help Brett make meaning from the crisis such as, “Why did this happen?”, “What does it mean?”, “What are the alternatives that could have been put in place to prevent the event?”, “Who was involved?”, and “What responses to the crisis potentially made it worse (cognitively and behaviourally)?” (Roberts & Ottens, 2005).

The final stage is planning to follow up with Brett two to six weeks later in order to evaluate if the crisis is being resolved, and to also check his physical and cognitive state, how his overall functioning is, any stressors and how he is handling them, and any referrals to external agencies such as housing, medical, legal etc. You may also schedule a ‘booster’ session a month after this crisis intervention has been completed.

The application of psychological first aid to the case study requires an expansion of the five core principles of psychological first aid. In your immediate work with Brett, the intervention includes efforts to:

reduce his distress by modelling calm, and making Brett feel safe and secure
identify and assist Brett with his current needs
establish a human connection with Brett
facilitate Brett’s social support
help Brett understand the disaster and its context
help Brett identify his own strengths and abilities to cope
foster belief in Brett’s ability to cope
give Brett hope
assist with early screening for Brett needing further or specialised help
promote adaptive functioning in Brett
get Brett through the first period of high-intensity and uncertainty
set Brett up to be able to naturally recover from an event
reduce the chance of post-traumatic stress disorder for Brett (Australian Red Cross & Australian Psychological Society, 2010, p. 11).

Brett is a 35-year-old independent Australian male farmer who may believe that expressing emotions or feelings is a sign of weakness. Bleich et al. (2003) explain that when an individual believes they are weak, “going crazy” or believes there is “something wrong with me”, an effective strategy in the intervention is to normalise and reassure Brett “you are neither sick nor crazy; you are going through a crisis, and having a normal reaction to an abnormal situation”. It is important to remind Brett that he is safe in order to minimise his vigilance. Promoting calm for Brett, immediately after his rural town was devastated by catastrophic bush fires, can assist Brett to foster positive emotions. It is advisable to intervene and limit Brett’s exposure to media coverage as this may trigger negative emotional states. The challenge for you is to convince Brett that he does not need to be as vigilant and limit media exposure as all day exposure is too much (Fredrickson, 2001).

The crisis counsellor and self-care

In their book, The Resilient Practitioner, Skovholt and Trotter-Mathison (2016) offer their insights and research on burnout and compassion fatigue for those in the helping profession and emphasise the importance of implementing self-care strategies in its prevention. Given the demands of the work of a crisis counsellor and the risk of vicarious traumatisation, protective and proactive approaches are imperative in the sustainability and vitality of a career where one is working intensely with human suffering and adversity. Tools and approaches, such as frequent supervision, high commitment to self-care, creating a personal balance of caring for self and caring for others, proactively and directly confronting stressors at work and at home, and ensuring that one has enriching relationships and activities outside of the work environment, are essential components in professional wellness and in the prevention of burnout and compassion fatigue (Adamson et al., 2014; Skovholt & Trotter-Mathison, 2016).

Learning activity 4

The development of a self-care plan can assist the crisis counsellor in supporting their wellbeing, reducing stress, and sustaining positive mental health in the long-term.

List five self-care strategies that you might use to promote and enhance your mental health and wellbeing

Counsellor reflections

Due to the nature and intensity of the role, crisis counselling may not be a suitable specialisation of counselling for every counsellor. Based on my experience, this type of work requires a counsellor to have the ability to remain calm and operate in a systematic and rational manner whilst assessing a client’s level of instability and distress. Building rapport quickly with a client facing a crisis is vital to the effectiveness of the intervention, which highlights again how important it is for the crisis counsellor to show acceptance, empathy, and genuineness to the client.

Working as a frontline crisis counsellor is demanding, and, therefore, it is imperative that ongoing support and clinical supervision are received to minimise and manage compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Additionally, I have found that a strong commitment to self-practices such as mindfulness, yoga, and muscle relaxation have reduced work-related stress and burnout over the years.

This chapter has provided a brief foundation for intervening with people who have experienced a crisis. With a primary focus on psychological first aid and Roberts’ seven-stage model of crisis intervention, and an application of these models to a case study, this chapter has covered the essentials in understanding the nature and types of crisis, the common reactions of a person who has experienced a crisis, and the impact of ongoing traumatic stress responses that require long-term counselling intervention. A list of other supports available, referrals and resources are included at the end of this chapter for your information and further reading.

Recommended referral and resources list

Australian Psychological Society: Psychological first aid . This resource is a useful guide to supporting people affected by a disaster. The guide provides an overview of the implementation of best practices in psychological first aid as an immediate intervention following a traumatic event or disaster.

Suicide risk assessment . Working with the suicidal person Clinical practice guidelines for emergency departments and mental health services (Department of Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 2010).

Guidelines for integrated suicide-related crisis and follow-up care in emergency departments and other acute settings (2017).

Other Resources for telephone and online crisis support:

Life in Mind : Australian suicide prevention services.
Standby : Support after suicide. Face-to-face and telephone support.

Other counselling resources

Psychological first aid : This video [11:07] provides information on the application of psychological first aid to assist individuals to reduce stress symptoms and assist in meeting an individual’s basic needs and identify resources to aid in a healthy recovery, immediately following a crisis, such as a personal crisis, natural disaster, traumatic event or natural disaster.

Glossary of terms

compassion fatigue— a state of feeling emotional and physically exhausted from helping people who are distressed or traumatised resulting in a diminished ability to show compassion or empathise

crisis — a time of intense difficulty or danger

hypervigilance — being in a state of increased alertness where one is sensitive to surroundings

intervention — the action or process of intervening

model — describes how counsellors can implement theories

stress — a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances

principles — a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning

reaction — something done, felt, or thought in response to a situation or event

suicidal ideation — thoughts of wanting to take one’s own life or suicide

theory — a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle offered to explain a hypothesis or belief

therapeutic relationship — refers to the consistent and close association that exists between the counsellor and client. This is also known as a therapeutic alliance.

trauma — a deeply distressing or disturbing experience

vicarious trauma — trauma symptoms that a counsellor may experience as a result of the ongoing exposure to trauma stories from their clients

Reference List

Adamson, C., Beddoe, L., & Davys, A. (2014). Building resilient practitioners: Definitions and practitioner understandings. The British Journal of Social Work, 44 (3), 522-541. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs142

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Text revised (5th ed.). https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

Australian Red Cross and Australian Psychological Society. (2010). Psychological first aid: An Australian guide .

Bateman, V. L. (2010) The interface between trauma and grief following the Victorian bushfires: Clinical interventions beyond the crisis, Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement, 13 (2), 43- 48.

Behrman, G., & Reid, W. J. (2002). Post trauma intervention: Basic tasks. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 2 , 39-47.

Bledsoe, B. E. (2003). Critical incident stress management (CISM): Benefit or risk for emergency services. Prehospital Emergency Care, 7 (2), 272-279.

Bleich, A., Gelkopf, M., & Solomon, Z. (2003). Exposure to terrorism, stress-related mental health symptoms, and coping behaviors among a nationally representative sample in Israel. Journal of the American Medical Association, 290 (5) 612-616.

Caplan, G. (1961). An approach to community mental health. Grune and Stratton.

Caplan, G. (1964). Principles of preventative psychiatry. Basic Books.

Department of Health, Melbourne, Victoria (2010). Working with the suicidal person: Clinical practice guidelines for emergency departments and mental health services . www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth

Dulmus, C. N., & Hilarski, C. (2003). When stress constitutes trauma and trauma constitutes crisis. The stress–trauma-crisis continuum. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 3 , 27-35.

Erikson, E. (1963). Childhood and Anxiety (2nd ed.). Norton.

Flannery, R. B., & Everly, G. S. (2000). Crisis intervention: A review . International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 2 (2), 119-125.

France, K. (2014). Crisis intervention: A handbook of immediate person-to- person help (6th ed.). Charles Thomas Pub.

Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broader-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist , 56 , 218-226.

Hendricks, J. E. (1985). Crisis intervention: Contemporary issues for on-site interveners . Charles C Thomas.

Herrera-Escobar, J., Osman, S., Das, S. Toppo, A, Orlas, C., Castillo-Angeles, M., Rosario, A., Janjua, M., Arain, M., Reidy, E., Jarman, M., Nehra, D., Price, M., Bulger, E., & Haider, A. (2021). Long-term patient-reported outcomes and patient-reported outcome measures after injury: the National Trauma Research Action Plan (NTRAP) scoping review. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery , 90 (5), 891–900. https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000003108

Hobfoll, S. E., Watson, P., Bell, C. C., Bryant, R. A., Brymer, M. J., Friedman, M. J., Friedman, M., Gersons, B. P. R., de Jong, J. T. V. M., Layne, C. M., Maguen, S., Neria, Y., Norwood, A. E., Pynoos, R. S., Reissman, D., Ruzek, J. I., Shalev, A. Y., Solomon, Z., Steinberg, A. M., & Ursano, R. J. (2007). Five essential elements of immediate and mid-term mass trauma intervention: Empirical evidence. Psychiatry, 70 (4), 283-315.

Hoff, L. A., Hallisey, B. J., & Hoff, M. (2009). People in crisis: Clinical and diversity perspectives (6th ed.). Routledge.

Hoffer, K., & Martin, T. (2020). Prepare for recovery: Approaches for psychosocial response and recovery. Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning , 13 (4), 340–351.

Ivey, A. E. & Ivey, M. B. (2007). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural society (6th ed.). Thomson.

James, R. K. (2008). Crisis intervention strategies (6th ed.). Thomson.

James, R. K., & Myer, R. A. (2008). Crisis counseling. In F. T. L. Leong, E. M. Altmaier, & B. D. Johnson (Eds.), Encyclopedia of counseling (Vol. 2, pp. 544-548). Sage.

Lindemann, E. (1944). Symptomology and management of acute grief. American Journal of Psychiatry, 101 , 141-148.

Loughran, H. (2011). Understanding crisis therapies: An integrated approach to crisis intervention and post-traumatic stress. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

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Massazza, A., Brewin, C. R., & Joffe, H. (2021). Feelings, thoughts, and behaviors during disaster. Qualitative Health Research, 31 (2), 323-337. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732320968791

McNally, R., Bryant, R., & Ehlers, A. (2003). Does early psychological intervention promote recovery from posttraumatic stress? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4 , 45–79.

Mitchell J. (1983). When disaster strikes…the critical incident stress debriefing procedure. Journal of Emergency Medical Services , 8 (1),36–39.

Myer, R. A. (2001). Assessment for crisis intervention: A triage assessment model. Brooks/Cole.

Norris, F. H., Friedman, M. J., Watson, P. J., Byrne, C. M., Diaz, E., & Kaniasty, K. (2002). 60,000 disaster victims speak: Part I. An empirical review of the empirical literature, 1981-2001. Psychiatry , 65 (3), 207–239. https://doi.org/10.1521/psyc.65.3.207.20173

Pollio, D. E. (1995). Use of humour in crisis intervention. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services , 76 (6), 376-384.

Rainer, J., & Brown, B. (2011). Crisis counseling and therapy. Routledge.

Roberts, A. R. (Ed.), (1995). Crisis intervention and time-limited cognitive treatment . Sage.

Roberts, A. R. (2005). Bridging the past and present to the future of crisis intervention and crisis management. In A. R. Roberts (Ed.), Crisis intervention handbook: Assessment, treatment, and research (3rd ed., pp. 3–34). Oxford University Press.

Roberts, A. R., & Dziegielewski, S. F. (1995). Foundation skills and applications of crisis intervention and cognitive therapy. In A. R. Roberts (Ed.), Crisis intervention and time-limited cognitive treatment (pp. 3–27). Sage.

Roberts, A. R. & Ottens, A. J. (2005). The seven-stage crisis intervention model: A road map to goal attainment, problem solving and crisis resolution. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 1, 17-28.

Rosenman, S. (2002). Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in Australia: Findings in the population sample of the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 36 (4), 515-520. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2002.01039.x

Ruzek, J., Brymer, M., Jacobs, A. K., Layne, C., Vernberg, E. M., & Watson, P. J. (2007). Psychological first aid. Journal of Mental Health Counseling , 29 (1), 17–49.

Shapiro, D. E., & Koocher, G. P. (1996). Goals and practical considerations in outpatient medical crises intervention. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 27 (2), 109-120. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.27.2.109

Silva, S. M. G. (2014). Engaging touch & movement in somatic experiencing trauma resolution approach. International University for Graduate Studies. https://www.stiftung-traumatherapie.com/fileadmin/stiftung/information/forschung/Punkt1_Punkt2_engaging-touch-and-movement-in-se-trama-resolution-approach-dissertation-bySoniaGomes-2014.pdf

Skovholt, T. M., & Trotter-Mathison, M. (2016). The resilient practitioner: Burnout and compassion fatigue prevention and self-care strategies for the helping professions . Routledge.

Wahlström, L., Michélsen, H., Schulman, A., Backheden, H., & Keskinen-Rosenqvist, R. (2013). Longitudinal course of physical and psychological symptoms after a natural disaster. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 4 (1), Article 21892. https://doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v4i0.21892

Walsh, F. (2007). Traumatic loss and major disasters: Strengthening family and community resilience. Family Process, 46 (2), 207-227.

Warchal, L. R., & Graham, L. B. (2011). Promoting positive adaptation in adult survivors of natural disasters. Adultspan Journal , 10 (1), 34–51.

Westefeld, J. J., & Heckman-Stone, C. (2003). The integrated problem-solving model of crisis intervention: Overview and application. The Counselling Psychologist, 31 (2), 221- 239.

Author Information

Claire Malengret FDRP, B.Ed.,M.Couns., GDM, Family Dispute Resolution, Cert IV TAE, PACFA Reg. (Clin.), MHE prac. 21971, Accredited Supervisor (PACFA, AAOS)

Claire is currently the National Clinical Advisor at an Australian non-for-profit organisation that supports young people and their families who have been impacted by chronic illness. With over 15 years experience in education, counselling and organisational development roles, Claire is passionate about coming alongside people, building trust and transparency, and supporting them to grow their skills and build capability. She is a clinical counsellor, accredited supervisor, an endorsed mental health practitioner, and certified family dispute resolution practitioner who holds a Master of Counselling, a Graduate Diploma in Management, and a Bachelor of Education.

Claire Dall’Osto BSocSc (with Distinction), GradCertPrac(Client assessment & Case management), GradCertPrac(Statutory child protection), Dip(Couns), Dip(Just), CertIV(Train&Assess)

Claire has been working in the child protection industry within the government and NGO sector for 15 years, and has gained expert experience, knowledge, and skills in the child protection and foster care systems. She has worked with biological parents, foster and kinship carers, and children who have experienced harm, abuse, trauma, grief and loss, attachment disruptions, mental health issues, and behaviour and conduct problems. Claire has provided crisis intervention in refuges, providing specialist support, and safe and secure accommodation for women and children escaping domestic and family violence, as well as providing specialist trauma counselling for people who have experienced domestic and family violence, and sexual assault.

Common Client Issues in Counselling: An Australian Perspective Copyright © 2023 by Claire Malengret and Claire Dall'Osto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Showcasing Your Crisis Management Skills on Your Resume

Published: January 26, 2023

When a crisis hits your business, you'll need to spring into action. That's why crisis management skills are essential for every role in any industry.

man reviews his crisis management resume with an intense expression on his face

If you have a passion for solving problems under pressure, you can pursue a career focused on crisis management. To make this dream a reality, you'll need the right resume to highlight your skills and experience.

In this blog post, you'll discuss how to showcase your crisis management skills on your resume. We'll also provide examples of crisis management resumes to help you get started. Let's dive in.

Table of Contents

What are crisis management skills?

Demonstrating crisis management skills on your resume.

Examples of Crisis Management Skills on Resumes

Crisis management skills help professionals effectively assess and solve problems as soon as they occur. These skills include crisis communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, decision-making, crisis negotiation, and risk assessment.

A crisis could be a big one like a health emergency or something smaller like missing an essential delivery for a wedding. Regardless of the crisis, professionals need to keep calm under pressure and find alternatives when necessary.

In most roles, it's important to keep your cool and problem-solve in times of need. Whether you are looking for a job in a crisis management role or moving into a managerial position, crisis management skills are a must-have. You can see these essential skills below.

Learn more about how crisis management team roles can be defined in this article .

Clear Communication

When communicating during a crisis, you'll need to remain calm, speak with clarity, and provide concise information.

This can help everyone involved stay on the same page about what needs to happen for the crisis to be resolved quickly and efficiently.

Leadership is also important during crisis management. People need to know who is in charge and how to respond to the crisis. As a leader, you must remain organized, provide clear direction, and be a source of stability for others.

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

Problem-solving and decision-making are two crisis management skills that go hand in hand. When there is a crisis, it's important to be able to assess the situation quickly and make decisions accordingly.

This means gathering as much information as possible, assessing the best course of action, and making a decision on how to move forward.

It's also important to be able to anticipate what the outcome of that decision might be, so you can adjust if needed.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves looking at a situation from different angles. Crisis management professionals can scenario plan quickly, assessing the event from many perspectives in a short period.

While critical thinking may be common in the workplace, pressure makes the process more difficult. With limited resources on hand and tight timeframes, you'll need to find creative solutions in difficult circumstances.

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

Negotiation and conflict resolution are two crisis management skills that can help defuse a tense situation.

Negotiating involves working with all parties involved in a crisis to come up with mutually beneficial solutions. Conflict resolution is about understanding the needs of each party and finding ways to resolve the crisis peacefully.

You can practice these skills before a crisis arises by solving smaller-scale conflicts. The next time your team faces a challenge, develop a plan, execute, then debrief.

What did you handle well? What needed improvement? Take note of your strengths and weaknesses so you can improve gradually. After this exercise, you'll be more prepared when a crisis strikes.

Crisis management skills are difficult to showcase until disaster strikes.

You can instead reflect these skills on your resume. Provide examples of the activities and accomplishments that showcase your ability to handle conflict.

For example, you might list a crisis you managed where you had to quickly assess the situation and make decisions under pressure.

You could also include a crisis you averted by taking preemptive steps that de-escalated the conflict before it became unmanageable.

By showcasing your crisis management skills on your resume, you can show potential employers that you are prepared to handle tough situations.

Below, we'll explore how you can showcase your ability in the different sections of your resume.

Showcasing Crisis Management in Your Work Experience

One of the best ways to demonstrate crisis management skills is within the work experience section of your resume. Here, you list your past job titles and duties, so it's the ideal place to highlight crisis situations you have managed or led.

Be sure to include a brief description of the crisis, how you handled it, and the outcome. Here's an example.

"Managed crisis team in response to a natural disaster. Developed a plan of action for crisis communication, monitored the crisis as it unfolded, and provided clear direction for crisis resolution. Resulted in successful crisis response and avoided further escalation."

You can also craft this section with bullet points to showcase crisis scenarios and the steps you took to resolve them.

Crisis Management Accomplishments to Highlight

Another way to demonstrate crisis management skills is in your accomplishments section. List any crisis-related awards you have won or mention any crises you successfully managed.

For example:

"Awarded 'Outstanding Employee' for successfully managing crisis situations in the workplace."

If you've taken any leadership courses or classes related to crisis management, be sure to list those as well.

Demonstrating Crisis Management Skills in Your Objective and Skills Sections

If you're looking to tailor your entire resume to crisis management roles, you'll need to do more than summarize conflicts you've quelled.

In the objective section, you can mention crisis management specifically or use more general terms such as "high-pressure situations" or "conflict resolution."

This is a great place to showcase your expertise in crisis management and why you would be an asset to the company.

In the skills section, you can list crisis-related keywords such as "negotiation," "decision-making," and "risk evaluation."

This section is also a great place to include any certifications or training courses you have taken in crisis management.

Making Your Skills Known on LinkedIn

In today's world, LinkedIn is an extension of your resume.

You have unlimited space and more room to showcase your crisis-management experience than your paper CV. If you've solved more than one major crisis in your role, you can describe multiple scenarios more easily on LinkedIn.

You can also use your posts to show your dedication to crisis management. If you regularly share crisis management tips, articles related to the topic, or brief descriptions of what you've handed at work, recruiters are sure to notice.

Below, we've gathered top-notch LinkedIn profiles of different crisis management professionals and lessons you can learn from each.

Workshop your headline.

Not every crisis management role has the phrase in the title. Instead, you'll need to make the connection clear on your profile.

Let's turn to Megan McCann , a media relations professional, for an example. Her profile dives deep into her experience in healthcare has shaped her skills to handle any situation.

In her role at Northwestern medicine, she refers to her experience communicating information about COVID-19 —a crisis familiar to all.

Image source

McCann's roles don't include the phrase "crisis management." To make the connection clear, she places the phrase "Crisis & Issues Management" in her LinkedIn headline.

Pro tip: If your role doesn't explicitly mention crisis management, you can include the information in your headline and experience sections.

Reference specific crisis scenarios.

Kelly Nantel successfully sums up 30 years of experience in her LinkedIn profile.

Her experience section shares the different positions she's held at recognizable organizations, including Amazon, the National Safety Council, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

All of these roles involved crisis communication, which she reflects throughout her profile.

Nantel's LinkedIn headline reads "reputation management and crisis communications expert." By using this phrase at the top of her profile, recruiters already know that she has experience managing sticky situations.

Further, Nantel reflects her crisis communication experience in her about section. She says that she managed "dozens of major transportation investigations" before listing crises that have made headlines.

Pro tip: Don't just say you have crisis management skills. Refer to specific examples.

Make a connection to your industry.

Some industries face crisis situations more frequently than others. For example, healthcare, media, public relations, government communications, and first responders may regularly face emergencies.

Take the time to explain common crises that your field and how your role intersects.

Suzanne Kennedy , who runs a consulting practice and media training program, demonstrates in her profile.

crisis management resume, suzanne kennedy

Kennedy has experience as a journalist, covering crises like the Clinton Impeachment, September 11, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and other natural disasters.

Those who view her profile know automatically that she can communicate calmly in stressful situations.

Pro tip: Everyone has handled a crisis in their role. Make the connection between your role and these situations clear.

Making Your Crisis Management Resume Work For You

Showcasing your crisis management skills shows that you can problem-solve in stressful situations. This know-how is helpful for both crisis managers and employees at any level.

Be sure to include crisis management examples in the work experience, objective, and skills sections of your resume. And remember to show your experience rather than just listing it. That's how you'll truly stand out as a great candidate.

Don't forget to share this post!

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What is a crisis management plan? (6 steps to create one)

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A crisis management plan outlines how your business will respond if a crisis occurs. In your crisis plan, you’ll determine what crises are most likely to affect your company and what the business impact will be. Planning responses for each crisis will prepare your team and reduce the long-term damage done to your organization.

The majority of the activities will be held outdoors, so when thunderstorms suddenly hit town, you panic! You were so focused on planning the event that you didn’t consider a backup plan for bad weather. Changing things last minute will result in thousands of dollars lost.

What’s the lesson? Being a good leader requires more than positivity and solid communication skills. Knowing how to plan for both the good times and bad builds trust with your team and shows preparedness.

Crisis management is an essential part of any business plan because without it, your team won’t be prepared when the unexpected happens. In the guide below, we’ll discuss what a crisis management plan is and how to prepare your company for uncertain times.

What is a crisis management plan?

A crisis management plan outlines how your business will react if a crisis occurs. The plan should identify who will take action and what their roles will be. The goal of a crisis management plan is to minimize damage and restore business operations as quickly as possible.

Your crisis management plan is a living document your team can refer to and update frequently. There are various ways to outline your plan, but a typical crisis plan looks like a checklist. When mishaps occur, your team can check off what items need to be done to respond to the crisis.

There’s no way to know what type of crisis may occur and when, but performing a risk analysis can give you a generalized idea of the potential threats your company may face.

For example, a social media marketing company may be more at-risk for an organizational mishap that requires a public apology, while a tech company may be more at risk for a cyberattack. The industry you’re in can also help you determine potential crises and figure out how to combat them.

6 steps to create a crisis management plan

To efficiently and effectively create a crisis management plan, break it up into smaller, more attainable steps. This can help you identify likely risks without getting overwhelmed by the potential crisis as a whole. To organize your plan, use a crisis management template with the following six steps:

1. Identify your crisis leadership team

Before you can take the first step in crisis management planning, choose a team of leaders to collaborate with during the crisis planning process. Your team should include the people who will take action during a crisis. Put this team together at the very beginning of crisis management planning so everyone knows the ins and outs of your crisis strategy.

2. Assess risk

To begin the planning process, have a brainstorming session to assess various risks your company may face. As mentioned above, you can kick off your brainstorming session by looking at risks associated with your job field.

Use a risk register to identify and analyze the probability of risks occurring. A risk register can eliminate progress delays and prepare for potential setbacks. It can also help you visualize which risks are most likely to occur so you can plan a response for these risks.

3. Determine the business impact

Once you’ve identified the high-probability risks that could affect your company, determine the business impact of these risks with the help of your crisis leadership team. Each risk can cause different outcomes, so it’s important to analyze them separately. Potential business impacts may include customer attrition, damaged reputation, delayed sales, lost income, or regulatory fines.

4. Plan the response

Next, take each risk you’ve identified and determine what actions your team would need to take to respond to the threat if it does happen. For example, if you work in software and your company experiences a cyberattack, you may need someone to secure the network, someone to release the news to your customers, and another person to handle damage assessment.

5. Solidify the plan

Once you’ve verbally made sense of the threats your company may face, the business impact, and how to respond, solidify your plan. A crisis management plan is more than a written or verbal strategy. It should include key items such as an activation protocol and emergency contacts, which we’ll discuss in more detail below. You’ll also need to collaborate with key stakeholders so that everyone understands what to do and when.

6. Review and update

Once your crisis plan is complete, review the final product to ensure there are no gaps. Revisit your crisis management plan and update it at least once a year because potential risks can change with time.

What to include in a crisis management plan

Your crisis management plan should include the items below. As you create your crisis management plan, use this checklist to ensure you haven’t overlooked the important details.

Risk analysis

A risk analysis will physically outline the potential risks your company may face and put them in order of probability. Including risk management in your emergency response plan is helpful because new leaders can refer to it if management shifts.

Activation protocol

The activation protocol determines when action should be taken if a crisis occurs. For example, you may decide that your team members should hold off on taking action until a crisis reaches a certain level of business impact. Once that business impact occurs, it triggers the crisis management team to respond.

Emergency contacts

Include the main emergency contact information to speed up the response process for crises that require external help. Your emergency contact list may include local law enforcement, hospital first responders, and the fire department as well as plumbing services, electricians, poison control, and any other services related to the risks you’ve identified in your analysis.

Response procedures

While an activation protocol defines exactly when your crisis response team should respond to a crisis, the response procedures outline the action plans for each person when triggered. Use a roles and responsibilities matrix , also known as a RACI chart, to clarify the decision-making positions in your crisis response plan. For example, a RACI chart can help the response team determine who’s accountable for communicating with the public and who’s responsible for talking to employees.

External crisis communication strategy

When a crisis occurs, your internal operations may not be the only things impacted. Once a crisis is widespread enough, you’ll need to explain the situation to key external stakeholders and the public. Your external crisis communication strategy should include details about who will deliver the information as well as who’s in charge of handling feedback.

Post-crisis assessment

A post-crisis assessment reminds your team to follow up and assess what went well and what didn’t. You can then update your crisis plan with lessons learned to improve your response procedures and reduce business impact.

Crisis management plan examples

Although there’s no way to predict every crisis, you can generalize types of crises into categories and make plans based on what may happen. Some crisis management examples include:

Financial loss: When your company suffers from a financial loss, you may have to announce bankruptcy or lay off employees. You can plan for this scenario without knowing the initial cause of the financial crisis.

Technological failure: A technology mishap could leave your customers without access for an extended period of time. This type of crisis affects your reputation and your bottom line, so it’s important to prepare for this situation.

Natural disaster: You can prepare for some natural disasters based on where you’re located. For example, if your company is in the southeastern United States, you can create a crisis plan for hurricanes that involves evacuations, customer communication, disaster recovery, and more.

Operational changes: While it may not seem like a traditional crisis, you should have a plan in place to prepare for an unexpected major shift in leadership. Additionally, your operations process may be affected if you have to lay off a lot of employees, and the public may need to know.

Organizational mishap: There’s always the chance that your company will be accused of misconduct or wrongdoing, and in this crisis situation, you’ll need a plan for how to respond. This crisis plan may involve issuing a public apology and figuring out how to recover.

Why do you need a crisis management plan?

A crisis management plan prepares your organization for a disaster or unforeseen event. With a plan in place, you can lessen the impact of the crisis on your employees and your business operations. When the team is properly trained for the unexpected, there’s less chance of long-term damage.

If you’re the leader of an organization, it’s up to you to work with other members of senior management and come up with the emergency management strategy that works for you. You may not know where to start at first, but project planning software can help you navigate this uncharted territory.

A well-organized crisis management plan could help your company recover after a disaster occurs.

Prepare your team with crisis management

When you have the right tools at your disposal, it’s easy to create a crisis management plan. Use project planning to structure your action plan like its own project, with team roles, an activation protocol, response procedures, and more.

Making your crisis plan easy to understand and accessible to everyone in your company can increase preparedness and help with recovery in the event of a crisis.

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Revolutionizing Career Readiness: The Role of Tech in Work-Based Learning Programs

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This is a recap of a session from the 2024 ASU+GSV Summit. Watch the full session below.

In today's rapidly evolving job market, there's a crisis brewing: students are increasingly ill-prepared for the workforce. Entry-level positions are vanishing with the rise of AI and universities are struggling to prepare students for on-the-job success, leaving many feeling stranded and unqualified. But amidst this challenge lies an opportunity to bridge the gap between education and employment through innovative solutions like work-based learning programs.

Lack of Work-Based Learning Opportunities

According to a recent report from ECMC and VICE Media, a staggering 79% of high school students recognize the importance of on-the-job learning experiences during their postsecondary education. However, only half of them have access to career exploration programs. This glaring disparity underscores the urgent need for a shift in educational paradigms.

Dr. Courtney Hills McBeth, WGU provost and chief academic officer at Katie Fany, founder and CEO of SchooLinks sitting on a pnale at ASU+GSV.

The Solution: Third-Party Organizations Connecting Employers and Learners

Enter tech-driven enterprises like Juvo Ventures , a pioneering early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2019. They're at the forefront of redefining career readiness by championing initiatives that connect students with real-world work experiences. Leaders like Dr. Courtney Hills McBeth , provost and chief academic officer at Western Governors University ( WGU ), and Katie Fang , founder and CEO of SchooLinks, which focuses on college and career readiness, are also leading the charge in revolutionizing traditional education models.

Dana Stephenson , co-founder and CEO of Riipen , a work-based learning platform for educators, learners and employers emphasized the importance of providing students with practical experience throughout their educational journey at the 2024 ASU+GSV Summit. He highlighted the shift away from relying solely on post-graduation employment as a launching pad for careers, advocating instead for early and continuous exposure to real-world scenarios.

Dr. Ryan Craig , managing director of Achieve Partners , stressed the need for scalable solutions that seamlessly integrate employers into the education ecosystem. “You have to make it so easy that it’s turnkey for employers,” he said, underscoring the pivotal role of intermediaries in facilitating work-based learning experiences and streamlining pathways to employment.

A Plea for Universities to Reprioritize

Dr. Hills McBeth said a key issue is focus, funding and scale, stating, “Most traditional higher ed has invested in athletics and alumni engagement and advancement offices rather than investing in employer engagement.”

WGU is changing that as a university that has prioritized student experience and career outcomes from the start. A nonprofit founded in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors, the online university supports students through job-aligned degree programs crafted with input from employers and built for career success. Organizations that hire WGU grads are reaping the rewards with a healthy 98% of employers saying WGU graduates meet or exceed their expectations.

Making it Easier for Employers to Connect with Learners

Solving the career-readiness challenge is not just about connecting students with opportunities; it's also about empowering employers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to actively participate in shaping the future workforce. Stephenson pointed out that many companies are eager to collaborate and engage with educational institutions to identify and nurture talent, citing the success of Juvo Ventures.

One key takeaway from this discussion is the importance of making work-based learning programs accessible and adaptable. Whether it's through shorter-duration, lower-intensity experiences or more immersive apprenticeships, flexibility is paramount to accommodating the diverse needs of students and employers alike.

More Focused State Standards

There's a growing consensus on the need for clearer, more prescriptive college and career readiness standards. Ryan Craig highlighted the current generic nature of state-level standards and calls for a more tailored approach to ensure students are equipped with the skills demanded by today's job market.

A Collaborative Effort

The revolution in career readiness isn't just about preparing students for specific jobs; it's about cultivating a mindset of adaptability, resilience, and continuous learning. By harnessing the power of technology and collaboration between states, organizations, universities, and learners, we can transform education from a passive experience into a dynamic journey that empowers individuals to thrive in an ever-changing world.

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Full-time Part-time Freelance Entry-level High-paying International

Sr. Value Management Strategy and Operations Consultant (ESG, Sustainability preferred) at Workiva

Sr. Value Management Strategy and Operations Consultant (ESG, Sustainability preferred)

USA – Remote

job requisition id

The Sr. Value Management Strategy and Operations Consultant role offers the opportunity for someone to bring new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) solutions to market to meet our customers needs.

The ideal candidate will have strong problem solving and analytical skills, business acumen, and top-notch communication skills. This position is suited for someone who can not only create a high level strategy, but also execute on that strategy. You will have the opportunity to become an expert on a specific customer segments unmet needs, create innovative offerings that deliver value and test your ideas in the marketplace.

The Consultant role will be a key member of our Value Management team creating value for our customers through launching new offerings in the mid-market or SMB segment.

What You’ll Do:

You will develop a deep and broad understanding of one of our customer segments, understand their unmet needs and size of the market, drive key insights and own analysis to support business cases for our GTM approach
You will also support prioritization, project management and execution from discovery to market testing
Conduct research on a priority customer segment and/or disclosure regulation (e.g. CSRD, SEC climate rule)
Work cross-functionally with sales, marketing, product management, customer success and partnership teams to provide insights and recommendations on our strategy around this segment
Create GTM plans, playbooks, sales decks, talk tracks and demo storyboards
Lead market experiments, test hypotheses, collect data and report progress

What You’ll Need:

Minimum Qualifications:

Requires a minimum of 6 years of experience in consulting, investment banking, product management or at a high-growth technology company
Bachelors degree; or 4 years and a Masters degree; or 2 years and a PhD

Preferred Qualifications:

Exposure to ESG reporting frameworks (GRI, SASB, TCFD) and regulations (CSRD, SEC)
Experience researching customers unmet needs, creating minimal viable offerings and testing in markets
Experience leading change in organizations
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
Ability to think critically and create structure in an ambiguous, changing environment
Ability to research, analyze, and succinctly report data
Ability to travel up to 10%

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements:

Access to reliable internet access throughout any period of remote work, not in a Workiva office.

How Youll Be Rewarded

Salary range in the US: $101,000.00 – $172,000.00
Eligible for commission based on sales performance
Restricted Stock Units granted at time of hire
401(k) match and comprehensive employee benefits package

The salary range represents the low and high end of the salary range for this job in the US. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience and other relevant factors.

Workiva is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We believe that great minds think differently. We value diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, and interests, and we recognize diversity as an important source of intellectual thought, varied perspective, and innovation. Employment decisions are made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other protected characteristic.We strongly encourage and welcome people from historically marginalized groups to apply.

Workiva is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email [email protected] .

Workiva employees are required to undergo comprehensive security and privacy training tailored to their roles, ensuring adherence to company policies and regulatory standards.

Workiva supports employees in working where they work best – either from an office or remotely from any location within their country of employment.

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Problem Solving in Crisis Management
The problem-solving experts at Kepner-Tregoe understand this and have been helping companies just like yours navigate crisis situations for over 60 years. Don't wait for the crisis to occur to ask for help. KT can help your leaders and organizations develop the skills they need for crisis preparedness.
4 Behaviors That Help Leaders Manage a Crisis
4 Behaviors That Help Leaders Manage a Crisis. Summary. Employees thrust into leadership during a crisis need to be coached in four behaviors to be most effective in their roles. They must decide ...
8 Soft Skills Every Crisis Manager Needs For Maximum Effect
Soft Skill 3: Empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand another's thoughts, perspective, or situation. This is accomplished by seeing things from their perspective. Empathy is a vital component of crisis management, allowing the Crisis Manager to take in other viewpoints and understand different perspectives.
Leading Your Team Through a Crisis
As a leader, continuously monitor, adjust, and even reformulate your plan as new information emerges. Be ready and willing to pivot, and prepare for the inevitable "one step forward/two steps back" setbacks. Communicate often and early. During a crisis, there's typically a lot of noise out there. Make sure that your team understands day ...
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An algorithm for effective crisis management is provided in Figure 1. STEP 1. Provide reassurance and develop rapport through validation of the problem and use of active listening skills. STEP 2 ...
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5. Emotional Intelligence. Crises can evoke strong emotions in individuals and communities. Understanding and managing emotions is critical for crisis managers. You must learn how to navigate ...
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It affirmed our research proposition that there was a strong correlation between perceived problem-solving skills and self-efficacy under different circumstances, including individual crisis management. Previous studies have suggested that one's perceived problem-solving skills can predict social self-efficacy (Erozkan, 2013). Our findings ...
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Integrative crisis management research also has the opportunity to consider additional theoretical frames. For example, to our knowledge, crisis management research has yet to systematically explore the real-time discourse and information exchange that occurs between an organization and its stakeholders as they make sense of a crisis.
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7. Stay adaptable. Adaptability is near the top of our crisis management skills list, and it's important to remain nimble during troubling times. You may have put a plan in motion with clear expectations, but it's subject to change as you work through the issues. 8. Conduct a retrospective.
Key Strategies for Effective Decision-Making in Crisis Management
The Role of Decision-Making in Crisis Management. Effective decision-making in crisis management requires a blend of rational analysis, quick thinking, and an acute awareness of the human element. Decisions made during crises are not just about problem-solving; they carry the weight of ethical considerations, potential ramifications, and the ...
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3. Framing the Issue at Hand. A successful decision depends on a clear understanding of the issue and its cause (s). 4. Generating Alternatives. After the organization has clarified the issue, brainstorm and generate creative conflict to develop alternative courses of action and ways of proceeding. 5.
Problem-Solving During a Crisis: A quick tip from the #LeanCommunity
For the future, the responses feed into an easel A3 problem-solving framework. "Encouraging teams to do this every day during their huddles is uncovering lots of hidden waste and opportunities for improvement," writes Ashby. "When the dust settles on this pandemic, it will be crucial to assess how our work systems held up.
Crisis Management Skills: Effective Leadership for All Hazards
Necessary skills: Organization, time management, problem-solving; Senior Communication Leader: This individual is responsible for emergency/crisis communication. They manage the strategic release of information, anticipating the needs and concerns of the company's stakeholders to determine what they require to ensure their safety and well ...
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Albert Roberts updated the concept of crisis management in more recent years to include a reflection on the level of an individual's dysfunction. ... During the crisis intervention process, new skills and coping strategies are acquired, resulting in change. ... If an individual demonstrates loss of problem-solving ability or the loss of ...
Examining effects of students' innovative behaviour and problem-solving
problem solving could promote effective crisis management (Wooten and James, 2008). Fur- thermore, learning and teaching have been delivered mainly via digital means during the COVID-19
Problem Solving
Problem Solving. The most challenging problems to solve usually constitute "insight" problems, which require a shift in perspective and a novel way of viewing the problem. ... Crisis Management. Effective crisis management requires an additional layer of defense against poor decisions or responses that often follow because of the ...
Crisis
It is a common model used by crisis counsellors to help people build and restore their ways of coping and improve their problem-solving skills that a crisis may evoke. ... A. R. (2005). Bridging the past and present to the future of crisis intervention and crisis management. In A. R. Roberts (Ed.), Crisis intervention handbook: Assessment ...
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Showcasing Your Crisis Management Skills on Your Resume
Problem-Solving and Decision-Making. Problem-solving and decision-making are two crisis management skills that go hand in hand. When there is a crisis, it's important to be able to assess the situation quickly and make decisions accordingly.
What is a Crisis Management Plan? (6 Steps) [2024] • Asana
To organize your plan, use a crisis management template with the following six steps: 1. Identify your crisis leadership team. Before you can take the first step in crisis management planning, choose a team of leaders to collaborate with during the crisis planning process. Your team should include the people who will take action during a crisis ...
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1 Analyze the situation. The first step in any problem solving process is to analyze the situation and identify the root cause, the scope, and the urgency of the problem. IT managers need to ...
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4 Jobs for People Who Like Problem-Solving. Picture these scenarios: An attorney strives to represent their client in court but must prepare a thorough and persuasive brief to do so. A data analyst seeks to improve a business's customer base but first needs to use data collection software to measure audience engagement.
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8. Problem-solving. Finding solutions to problems is a skill needed in nearly every job. Teams need leaders who can resolve issues creatively, using any resources available to approach and tackle them successfully. Example of problem-solving skills on a CV: Blue Cube, Software Engineer. Edinburgh, UK. April 2017-September 2021
Revolutionizing Career Readiness: The Role of Tech in Work-Based
A Collaborative Effort. The revolution in career readiness isn't just about preparing students for specific jobs; it's about cultivating a mindset of adaptability, resilience, and continuous learning. By harnessing the power of technology and collaboration between states, organizations, universities, and learners, we can transform education ...
Sr. Value Management Strategy and Operations Consultant (ESG
R8048. Summary. The Sr. Value Management Strategy and Operations Consultant role offers the opportunity for someone to bring new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) solutions to market to meet our customers needs. The ideal candidate will have strong problem solving and analytical skills, business acumen, and top-notch communication skills.