Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., se Your Head……

Crisis Leadership: A Practical Application to the Chaos of a Crisis Gordon Meriwether, MBA, PMP The Leadership Challenge Forum 2010 August 5, 2010

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., “Living in a cave doesn’t make you a geologist.” HBR No more than being a manager makes you a leader….

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Our goal today is to keep it simple……. Simplicity wins in a crisis!

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Teaching the Rules of the Crisis Road 1.Keep it simple…. 2.Make it real…. 3.Be seriously funny….. 4.Declare victory!

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Today Ground Rules – There are no rules! – Cell Phones – Interactive – Follow up – Hot Wash & Takeaways

Impacts on Leaders in Crisis Tension and Stress – Psychological, mental, & physical Speed – Warp or tedious Personal – Availability of the right people…making due. Organizational – Rigidity or flexibility Stakeholder variance – New players and expectations Communications – New channels Media – Exponentially more attentive and focused Simplicity wins in Crisis – More complexity less likely success.

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Elements of Any Crisis Crisis! Oxygen (your business environment) Fuel (Press, employees, politicians, lawyers, regulators…etc.) Heat (the incident) FIRE!

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., You can be a Leadership Star & Lose Crisis Event + Human Factors – Leadership = Chaos Crisis Event + Human Factors + Leadership = Chaos

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Crisis Leadership Cycle Preventing Preventing Preparing Preparing Responding Responding Recovering Recovering

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Impacts of a Catastrophe (Disaster/Pandemic/ Man-made) Economic SocialHealth Financial Financial Employment Employment Immigration Immigration Physical Physical Psychological Psychological Cultural Cultural Political Political CommunicationCommunication

Learn to Embrace Chaos

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., © The Uriah Group, Inc, 2009 “Katrina underscored the thin line between stability and chaos.” - Wall Street Journal

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Stability vs. Chaos? Stable Systems (Newton’s laws of motion) Stable Systems (Newton’s laws of motion) – Cause and effect – Possibility of long-term predictions Chaotic systems (weather prediction) Chaotic systems (weather prediction) – Minute variations introducing enormous uncertainty – You can never get an accurate measurement – Dynamic instabilities = Chaos * Trump, University of Texas, Austin Long-term predictions for chaotic systems are no more accurate than predictions made from random choice. Long-term predictions for chaotic systems are no more accurate than predictions made from random choice.

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Minute Variations = Chaos Series 1Series

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Ingredient A Ingredient C Ingredient B Ingredient D Ingredient E Ingredient F Ingredient G Ingredient H Cooler Shipper Dry packaging Cooler/Shipper Processor Consolidator Repacker Packer Shipper Ingredient I Packer Shipper Ingredient Supplier Finished Product Foodservice Distributor Consumer Distribution Independent Outlets Hospitals Chain Retail DC Retail Restaurant Always on the Brink… Trevor Suslow; UC-Davis

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Lessons Learned Lessons Learned 1.Quick Response to a crisis is mandatory. 2.Continually build teams around empowered managers. 3.Take guidance from your core values. 4.Maintain your personal balance. 5.Maintain control over the team, the crisis, and your assets.

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., The Human Factor In a Crisis

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., How do we React to a Crisis? Humans will react to a crisis in 4 steps with: 1.Our Instinct 2.Our Emotion 3.Our Head 4.Our Plan The trick is to get to step 4 as quickly as possible….but…

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., When the Plan doesn’t work…… Instinctively Emotionally Use Your Head! Use Your Head! The Plan

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., The Application: The Five Practice of Exemplary Leadership

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., What disasters awaits you….

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., The 5 Practices of Exemplary Leadership Model the Way Model the Way – Clarify Values – Set the example Inspire a Shared Vision Inspire a Shared Vision – Envision the Future – Enlist others Challenge the Process Challenge the Process – Search for opportunities – Experiment & take risk Enable Others to Act Enable Others to Act – Foster collaboration – Strengthening others Encourage the Heart Encourage the Heart – Recognize contributions – Celebrate accomplishments

Model the Way Clarify Values by finding your voice and affirming shared ideals. Set the Example by aligning actions with shared values. Wendy’s

Inspire a Shared Vision Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities. – “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” Churchill Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations. – “….let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself…” FDR Toyota

Challenge the Process Search for opportunities by seizing the initiative and by looking outward for innovative ways to improve. Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from experience. John Deere

Enable Others to Act Foster collaboration by building trust and facilitating relationships. Strengthen others by increasing self- determination and developing competence. Tylenol

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Encourage the Heart Recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence. Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community. Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., What’s Important? What’s Important? 1.Quick Response to a crisis is mandatory. (Challenge the Process) 2.Continually build teams around empowered managers. (Enable others to act) 3.Take guidance from your core values. (Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision) 4.Maintain your personal balance. (Encourage the Heart) 5.Maintain control over the team, the crisis, and your assets. (Enable others to Act, Encourage the Heart)

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Have all the laws of leadership been written? 30

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., Lessons! Dynamics at play Dynamics at play – Human nature Fragmentation of decision- making authority Fragmentation of decision- making authority Psychological impact of fear Psychological impact of fear Ego Ego Self interest Self interest – Crisis management Turmoil ignition and sustainment Turmoil ignition and sustainment Risk communications Risk communications Conflict management Conflict management Conflict between personal and community priorities Conflict between personal and community priorities – Expectations management Public/Media impacts Public/Media impacts Litigation influences Litigation influences Political impacts Political impacts – Community development Procedural ignorance and arrogance Procedural ignorance and arrogance Preparedness Preparedness Team building Team building Relationship development and sustainment Relationship development and sustainment Organizational dependencies Organizational dependencies Recovery impacts and requirements Recovery impacts and requirements Stovepipe vs. integrated training Stovepipe vs. integrated training The Individual has a major impact on any and all crisis The Individual has a major impact on any and all crisis

Copyright The Uriah Group, Inc., se Your Head……