Leadership in Crisis Management

A topic that has come up recently in some of my manager development programs is how to lead during times of change and uncertainty (which, let's face it, feels like the norm these days). The core question is this: How do you show up and lead others during periods of uncertainty and change when you yourself may feel uncertain about the changes happening? When one person asks this question, many others nod in agreement, highlighting the universality of what many leaders are experiencing today. In the hopes of sparking further conversations between your leaders and their peers on this topic, I wanted to share a few key ideas we discussed as potential actions for leaders to try: 📌Put on your oxygen mask first - As the saying goes, take care of yourself first. Before you respond to others, make sure you are in a good place personally amidst the change and uncertainty. It can be challenging to support others when you’re not taking care of yourself. Take time to reflect, seek support, or journal—whatever helps you process the situation. But before you lead, start with yourself. 📌 Map out what’s within your control - It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by uncertainty, but in reality, some things are within your control, and others are not. Define what’s in your control and focus your energy there. It’s not easy, but it helps reduce the stress of feeling powerless. 📌 Meet people where they are - Everyone has their own relationship with change and their own ways of coping with fear, uncertainty, and change. Your goal is to understand where each person is individually and meet them there, helping them move in the right direction. This requires listening and personalizing your approach to each individual. 📌Turn outward (and encourage others to do the same) -  During challenging times, it’s natural to want to turn inward and isolate yourself. While it’s completely reasonable to take care of yourself, remember the saying, “don’t suffer in silence.” If there’s uncertainty or change happening, you’re likely not the only one feeling it. Turn outward to your peers and colleagues. As a leader, model this behavior, and encourage your team to connect with their peers as well, if they feel comfortable. Many of society’s challenges have been solved through collaboration, and this situation will be no different. If you have other ideas or practices that are helping your leaders navigate change and uncertainty, I’d love to hear what you’re doing or trying! #leadership #leadershipdevelopment

Most teams shut down under pressure. The great teams wake up. When your team avoids problems due to fear, that’s not a talent issue. It’s a culture issue. One that dreads Monday mornings. I’ve led teams through layoffs, pivots, and meltdowns. What separated the high performers wasn’t skill. It was mindset. Here’s how to build that mindset into your culture (so your team looks forward to Mondays): First➟ Reward struggles, not just wins. ↳ Ask in meetings: “Who failed this week?” ↳ Then celebrate what they learned. Second➟ Stop outsourcing the big bets. ↳ Stretch your team with challenges. ↳ Let them take (and own) real risks. Third➟ Redefine what smart looks like. ↳ Encourage people to ask dumb questions out loud. ↳ That’s how real learning happens. Fourth➟ Make growth visible. ↳ Share your own lessons in each monthly meeting. ↳ What you got wrong. What changed. Fifth➟ Create psychological oxygen. ↳ End meetings with: “What didn’t get said today that should’ve?” ↳ That one question can unlock gold. Pressure doesn’t build character. It simply reveals your culture. Build one your team can breathe in. ♻️ Repost to help build better cultures. 🔔 Follow me (Nadeem Ahmad) for more.

Your brain is wired to avoid conflict at all costs. Avoiding hard conversations doesn’t eliminate problems-it multiplies them. I’ve worked with countless first-time managers, VPs, and even senior executives who freeze when it’s time to: - Give tough feedback - Address poor performance - Set firm boundaries - Have that uncomfortable talk with an underperforming team member Why does this happen? Because biologically, your brain still thinks conflict = danger.  When faced with confrontation, your amygdala (the fear center of your brain) hijacks your response system. - Heart rate spikes. - Hands get clammy. - Your brain perceives the conversation as a threat, triggering fight, flight, or freeze.  This is why so many leaders either: - Overreact (aggressive, defensive, emotional outbursts) - Shut down (avoid the issue, sugarcoat, delay tough calls) The result? - Performance issues linger. - Low accountability erodes culture. - Leaders lose credibility. The best organizations-the ones that scale, retain top talent, and build elite teams-don’t just train leaders on strategy. They train them on emotional regulation and communication.  How Elite Leaders Stay Calm & In Control During Tough Talks  1. Hack Your Nervous System with Tactical Breathing Your breath controls your physiology. Try box breathing (4-4-4-4): Inhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec → Exhale 4 sec → Hold 4 sec. Navy SEALs use this under combat stress—it works in boardrooms too.  2. Reframe the Conversation in Your Mind Instead of “This is going to be a brutal conversation,” say “This is an opportunity to align expectations and help someone grow.” Shift from confrontation → collaboration.  3. Use Nonverbal Cues to De-Escalate Lower your tone. Slow down your speech. Maintain open body language. People mirror your energy—if you stay calm, they will too.  4. Replace “Softening” Phrases with Direct, Clear Statements - “I feel like maybe there’s a small issue with your performance…” ✅ “Here’s what I’ve observed, and here’s what needs to change.” Clarity is kindness. Sugarcoating only confuses people.  Why This Matters for Companies Investing in Leadership Training - 85% of employees say poor leadership communication causes workplace stress. (Forbes) - 69% of managers say they’re uncomfortable communicating with employees. (HBR) - Companies with emotionally intelligent leadership see 34% higher retention rates. (Case Study Group at Cornell) If your company isn’t training leaders on handling tough conversations, you’re losing talent, productivity, and trust. Want to build a leadership culture where tough conversations drive growth instead of fear? Let’s talk. #LeadershipTraining #ExecutiveCoaching #CommunicationSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #CultureOfAccountability #EmotionalIntelligence #HighPerformanceTeams

Leading a team of 500+ taught me a lot about communication — especially in times of crisis. Here are five key lessons I’ve learned: 1. Communicate Early: Carry people along as things evolve. People should hear from you early in the game, before all hell breaks loose. Send that email, call that meeting, announce the changes, transitions, new strategies, or new directions as soon as you can. Trust is built when your team hears from you first, not through the grapevine. It’s not just about saying it — it’s about saying it as soon as you can. 2. Communicate Openly: Your team should feel free to remark, respond, or react to what you share without fear of punishment or being marked. This creates a psychologically safe environment where people don’t have to walk on eggshells around you. It’s an organization, not a dictatorship — people’s voices should never be stifled or silenced, covertly or overtly. 3. Communicate Completely: Don’t leave loose ends or unspoken assumptions. Address direct and indirect questions as much as possible at the time. If something can’t be discussed, say so. Don’t gloss over key details or shy away from touchy topics. Complete communication bonds a team and unites everyone around the leader — especially when they hear it directly from you. As much as you can, leave no stone unturned. 4. Communicate Clearly: There should be no ambiguity. Some team members shouldn’t hear one thing and others another. This is where Q&A sessions and checking for understanding become crucial. Think through what you want to say and ensure it’s plain, simple, and leaves no room for wrong assumptions or misconceptions. A strong leader speaks clearly, so nobody misunderstands, and everyone is on the same page. 5. Communicate Consistently— Communication is the cornerstone of successful organizations. The more your team hears from you, the stronger and more connected they become. Reach out regularly and create accessible platforms for open dialogue, ensuring your team feels informed and heard. Communicating effectively is non-negotiable, and leaders who master it go far. What would you add to the list? Drop your thoughts in the comments! Have a superlative week! #LeadershipLessons #CommunicationMatters #CrisisLeadership #TeamManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #EffectiveCommunication #LeadingTeams #WorkplaceCulture #TransparentLeadership #CrisisCommunication #LeadershipTips #Teamwork #GrowthMindset #LeadershipSkills #InspirationForLeaders

Navigating Leadership in Turbulent Times- A few days ago, I had an interesting conversation with a friend about how Non Profits are facing this period of  unknowns and instability. For organizational leaders, the role we play in guiding our teams and ensuring the stability and resilience of our organizations has never been more critical. Here are a few things I learned about leading through uncertainty- 1. Focus with Intent We are constantly being hit with a barrage of incoherent tweets, rash decisions, and contradictory messaging that can feel overwhelming. Reacting to everything will leave us scattered, unfocused, and ineffective. Leaders must prioritize their organizational goals and focus on what they are best equipped to address. 🔑 Choose your battles wisely and resist the urge to 'play whack-a-mole' with every issue. Not every fight is yours to take on, and sometimes, the wisest move is not to fight at all. Focused leadership drives meaningful impact. 2. Embrace Collaboration - In this season of uncertainty, collaboration is not optional—it’s essential. Community and partnerships have always propelled movements forward. 🤝 Build a collaborative work culture, encouraging your team to cultivate strong relationships both internally and externally.  Collaboration builds trust, and allows people to build upon their strengths and leads to better decisions and outcomes.   3. Flexibility & Adaptability -"Be stubborn about your goals but flexible about how you achieve them." Strategy is not a fixed plan but an evolving path to reach a predetermined destination. Recognize when adjustments are needed and model adaptability for your team. 📣 Communicate openly with staff about changes and align around shared objectives, even if absolute agreement isn’t always possible. Pathways can emerge when teams are nimble and solutions-oriented. 4. Support Your Staff- Amid external crises, organizational trust often becomes strained. Now is the time to double down on creating a supportive environment for your team.  Focus on the short-term goals and the long-term mission when conflict arises. Look for areas of agreement to rally around. 💡 Consider what your organization can offer during this period, whether that’s flexible policies, open communication channels, or empathetic leadership. Teams perform best when they feel valued and supported. 5. Safeguard Your Organization - If your mission runs counter to the incoming administration’s policies, preparation is key. 📋 Run a risk assessment and review your policies/processes to ensure compliance and readiness. Develop clear protocols and maintain a strong relationship with your legal counsel.  A proactive approach will protect your organization from unnecessary risks. I can say from experience that leadership in turbulent times isn’t easy, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to model resilience, inspire focus, and foster collaboration.

Nonprofit executives - I've spent 20+ years working in transformational change environments & crisis moments. Here are 3 things that can help you and your team right now: 1 >> Keep Communications at the Table Your heads of external AND internal communications are vital members of any crisis or critical strategy conversations. Often, decisions are made without these leaders in the room and they are brought in too late to contribute their expertise about how best to position challenging information, share meaningful updates, and respond to tough questions. This will make it harder for everyone in the long run. Do yourself the favor and keep communications at the table - as a contributing, strategic member - from the beginning. 2 >> Provide a Proactive Channel for Questions Your team is probably pretty shaken right now. They have questions. And while you may not be able to answer them all right now, it's important to acknowledge them and work toward answers where possible. Provide a proactive way for folks to submit questions (e.g., an email address they can reach out to, a form on your intranet, designated team members throughout the org) and then find a consistent way to provide meaningful responses (e.g., all-staff meetings + a standing document on the intranet that is routinely updated). 3 >> Help Everyone Understand Their Role You and your executive team may be working through scenario planning, major donor outreach, and many other emergent needs. Your team needs to hear how they can play an important role, too. Is there specialized support or research that can be gathered? Should they focus on continuing to provide great service to your community and donors? Help them know how and where to focus their energy - and when that may need to change. Don't assume that they will know to keep following the playbook that was laid out prior to the crisis or big change. What other practical tips do you have for nonprofit executives operating in transformational change or crisis environments? Share in the comments. #nonprofit #leadership #management #ChangeLeadership --- I'm Veronica - I help CEOs and Department Heads at established nonprofits create strategic clarity and lead change well. On LinkedIn, I write about practical approaches to improving the ways we think, plan, and work.

When the Palisades fire erupted near my home in Los Angeles, it brought devastation that felt deeply personal. Like many around me, I’ve seen friends lose homes, cherished keepsakes, pets, livelihoods—and their children’s sense of safety. Even for those of us fortunate to be outside of the inferno's relentless path, the grief for what has been lost is shared. Disasters like these aren’t just stories of loss—they reveal the ripple effects on communities and organizations. They’re a call to action for leaders to step up with empathy and support. Here’s how leaders and businesses can help their teams navigate the unexpected: 1️⃣ 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 Give employees space to handle crises—whether through flexible hours, remote work, or paid leave. 2️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 Connect your team with mental health services, disaster relief organizations, housing assistance, and other resources. Leaders don’t need all the answers, but facilitating help can be life-changing. 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Create safe spaces for employees to share and process their emotions, whether in group check-ins or one-on-ones. Sometimes, being heard is the first step toward healing. 4️⃣ 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 Engage your team in relief efforts. Here are a few examples in addition to the 𝐋𝐀𝐅𝐃 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬. 🔹 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 who’ve lost classrooms and school supplies. 🔹 Partner with organizations like 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧 to provide meals for firefighters and evacuees. 🔹 Support 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄 (Community Organized Relief Effort) to aid underserved communities. 5️⃣ 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 Disasters are inevitable, but preparation makes a difference. Build a crisis plan that prioritizes employee well-being, clear communication, and community response. Leading through crises isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about showing up with empathy. People will remember how you supported them when it mattered most. Los Angeles, like so many communities facing fires, floods, and storms, will rebuild. Thoughtful leadership can help workplaces play a vital role in that resilience. #ILoveLA #LeadershipInCrisis #EmpathyInAction #StrongerTogether #EmployeeWellBeing #januscoaching 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘵 - 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 - 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵: 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬

The “Eternal Struggle”: PR vs. Legal – And how to bridge the gaps. There’s an old adage in corporate crisis management: You’re either at the table, or you’re on the menu. And nowhere is this more evident than in the frequent tug-of-war between PR teams and legal departments during a crisis. I’ve been on both sides of this debate—as a former lawyer and now a public affairs advisor. Here’s the truth: the “say nothing, do nothing” approach that worked 30 years ago will destroy a company’s reputation today. But going rogue with an unchecked PR strategy can tank a future legal or regulatory case just as fast and may get you fired. So how do we navigate this proverbial minefield? Here’s how to bridge the gap: 1. Understand the Stakes - Legal’s priority: Protect the company from lawsuits, fines, and regulatory action. - PR’s priority: Protect the company’s reputation in the court of public opinion (where your customers, investors, and employees live). Both priorities are 100% valid—and both are existential risks. 2. Build the Crisis Playbook Collaboratively - Pre-plan messaging for likely crisis scenarios before the heat is on. - Agree on who leads which part of the response and when. This can be tough, but dedicate the time. - Include Legal in your media training—they’ll thank you when it’s time to deliver tightly-worded, low-risk statements under pressure. 3. “Be at the Table” - Legal needs to respect PR as more than a “spin machine.” PR shapes reputations that can directly influence jury pools, regulators, and decision-makers. - PR needs to recognize legal’s expertise in risk avoidance. Reckless comments can lead to billion-dollar costs. The key: If both teams collaborate early, they can find solutions that protect both reputation and the bottom line. 4. Manage the Message - Words matter: Even a single phrase can change the narrative. Use legal-approved, precise language that aligns with PR’s strategy. - Stay human: A robotic, overly cautious response (“We are investigating and will provide updates soon.”) simply doesn’t work anymore. - Own what you can: Show accountability where it’s safe and strategic. 5. Play the Long Game The court of law and the court of public opinion don’t always operate on the same timelines. But public perception often shapes the legal and regulatory outcomes. - Losing trust with customers can lead to more aggressive scrutiny from regulators. - Winning public support can soften legal blowback or even help settle cases faster. Bottom Line: The PR vs. Legal conflict doesn’t need to be a zero-sum game. The best organizations recognize that reputation and liability are two sides of the same coin, and build a unified approach to protect both. When you’re in a crisis, it’s not just about avoiding mistakes. It’s about showing leadership when it matters most. And leadership starts with getting PR and Legal on the same team. What’s your take? Drop your thoughts and “war stories” below.

After spending the past year leading ransomware incident response, I wanted to share some insights that you should be thinking about in relation to your organization. 1. Leadership clarity is non-negotiable. Multiple executives giving competing directions doesn't just create confusion - it directly impacts your bottom line. Every minute of misaligned leadership translated into increased recovery costs and extended downtime. 2. Trust your IR experts. Yes, you know your environment inside and out. But incident response is their expertise. When you hire specialists, let them specialize. I've seen firsthand how second-guessing IR teams can derail recovery efforts. 3. Master the time paradox. Your success hinges on rapid containment while simultaneously extending threat actor negotiations. If your leadership and IR partnership aren't solid (points 1 & 2), this delicate balance falls apart. 4. Global password resets are deceptively complex. Every human account, service account, API key, and automated process needs rotation. Without robust asset management and IAM programs, this becomes a nightmare. You will discover dependencies that you didn't even know existed. 5. Visibility isn't just nice-to-have - it's survival. Modern security tools that provide comprehensive visibility across your environment aren't a luxury. This week reinforced that every blind spot extends your recovery time exponentially. 6. Data gaps become permanent mysteries. Without proper logging and monitoring, you might never uncover the initial access vector. It's sobering to realize that lack of visibility today means questions that can never be answered tomorrow. 7. Backup investment is incident insurance. Organizations regularly lose millions that could have been prevented with proper backup strategies. If you think good backups are expensive, wait until you see the cost of not having them. 8. Protect your team from burnout. Bring in additional help immediately - don't wait. Your core team needs to be there for the rebuild after the incident, and running them into the ground during response isn't worth it. Spending money on staff augmentation isn't just about handling the immediate crisis - it's about maintaining the institutional knowledge and expertise you'll need for recovery. Remember: the incident ends, but your team's journey continues long after. #Cybersecurity #IncidentResponse #CISO #RansomwareResponse #SecurityLeadership"

If I were a Treasury leader at a high-growth company today, here are a 6 practical tenets of Cash Flow Forecasting that I’d deploy to ensure confidence and accuracy: 1) HISTORICAL DATA - start by gathering historical cash flow data from multiple sources – revenue, expenses, payroll, and other outflows. - then use this data to build a baseline forecast by identifying patterns like seasonality, subscription renewals, and recurring expenses. - it’s important to also contextualize the data by meeting with the teams involved in these functions. - too often I see early Treasurers fail to connect the dots due to a lack of understanding of the data story. 2) SYSTEMS AND DATA - connect the ERP, CRM, billing systems, and bank feeds to centralize data collection. - disaggregated data sourcing increases delays and errors, - which is why I suggest using an automation tool (like Nilus) and AI-powered forecasting to help predict future cash flows based on predictive analytics, bottom-up ERP data, and customer & vendor payment behavior. 3) SCENARIO PLANNING - build various cash flow scenarios to prepare for different outcomes - best-case, worst-case, sensitivity scenarios based on market volatility, Cx churn expectation and unforeseen costs. - by understanding a litany of scenarios that could drive the business, you will not only have a more granular understanding of business impact, but become able to more quickly connect the dots. 4) REAL-TIME ADJUSTMENTS - prioritize using tools that provide real-time visibility into cash positions across bank accounts and currencies, and set up automated alerts for significant changes (e.g., if cash balances drop below a certain threshold) so strategies can be adjusted swiftly. 5) REVIEW AND COLLAB - ensure that treasury and finance teams meet regularly to review the forecast. - forecasting shouldn’t exist in a silo—it needs to align with broader business strategies like expansion plans, investments, etc. and treasury has got to stay in the loop. 6) LIQUIDITY - manage working capital by adjusting payment schedules, accelerating collections, and optimizing idle cash for short-term investments. - liquidity is about getting cash to work efficiently, so make sure every dollar is positioned to drive value. By following these steps, your team should have greater confidence in cash forecasts, helping the CFO and great C-suite make better decisions to support growth. PS - What tips would you add?