HBR On Leadership
How to Prepare For—and Lead Through—a Crisis
Mar 26, 2025
Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University and crisis leadership expert, shares her insights on navigating uncertainty. She discusses key strategies from her book, emphasizing the importance of preparation for both expected and unexpected challenges. Wooten explores how leaders can build resilience and prioritize team well-being during crises. She uses real-world examples, including the Maui wildfires and the NBA's pandemic response, to illustrate effective decision-making and engagement with stakeholders under pressure.
25:08
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Quick takeaways
- Prepared leaders must adapt their strategies to transform crises into opportunities, emphasizing resilience and team collaboration.
- Effective crisis management necessitates structured decision-making processes that incorporate diverse perspectives and maintain flexibility amid uncertainty.
Deep dives
Prepared Leadership in Crisis
Prepared leadership emphasizes the crucial ability to adapt and guide organizations through uncertainty and crises. Leaders must equip themselves and their teams to face foreseeable and unforeseeable challenges, transforming potential disruptions into opportunities for positive change. The concept extends beyond the traditional focus on profits, people, and the planet to include an essential fourth component: how to effectively lead in chaotic situations. As organizations often face daily crises, it is vital for leaders to be ever-ready to manage adversity and navigate complex environments.
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