Crisis Leadership in Government
Articles
- Seven Hard Lessons Federal Responders to Harvey Learned from Katrina
Insights about why rescue efforts after Hurricane Harvey were faster and more robust than after Katrina.
- After Nairobi: Recovering from Terror, by Prudence Bushnell
Ambassador Bushnell describes how her team recovered after the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy Nairobi.
- Courage in Crisis
Article from GovExec.com about Ambassador Prudence Bushnell's efforts to stop the genocide in Rwanda. - Leadership Lessons from the Shackleton Expedition, by Nancy F. Koehn
Great summary of the Shackleton story by the author of Forged in Crisis.
- Bystanders to Genocide, by Samantha Power
Fascinating analysis of how and why the U.S. government failed to stop the genocide in Rwanda.
- The Question That Should Guide All Government Leaders, by Robert D. Behn
The importance of focusing on near misses as a strategy for preventing disasters.
- The Hint Behind "That's Funny", by Robert D. Behn
When something unexpected makes you say, "That's funny," it might be an indicator that a crisis is brewing.
- Planning to Manage Your Next Crisis Decisively and Effectively, by Barry Cross
Article from the Ivey Business Journal
- The Self-Designing High-Reliability Organization: Aircraft Carrier Flight Operations at Sea
Aircraft carrier operations are like being in an ever-recurring crisis. This article explains how the US Navy makes it work.
- Reworking Intuition
Simulations that push your team to the failure point can generate significant learning.
Online Training
- Leadership and Influence
Free online emergency management course produced by FEMA.
Resource Guides
- Ready.gov
Emergency planning resource for families. Your team members will be more resilient during an emergency situation if their families have prepared for it. - Handling Traumatic Events: A Manager's Handbook
Superb resource from OPM. - Helping Others Cope with Grief
Booklet by LifeCare, Inc., includes a section on helping co-workers who are grieving.
Podcasts
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When to Listen to a Dire Warning, from HBR IdeaCast
Former National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counter-Terrorism Richard Clarke talks about the importance of listening when a member of your team warns you about a disaster that may be coming. Based on Clarke's book Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes.
Books
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes--and Why
Know What You Don't Know: How Great Leaders Prevent Problems Before They Happen

Shackleton's Way
The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for Us All

Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda