The Leading in a Crisis Podcast

Send us Fan Mail The first words after a mass casualty event can steady a community—or shake it further. We break down the opening press conferences following the Grand Blanc, Michigan church attack to show how leaders earn trust when stakes are highest: the county supervisor’s grounded empathy, a police chief balancing hard facts with community care, a seasoned Michigan State Police PIO orchestra...

Send us Fan Mail Charlie Kirk built his reputation through campus debates, setting up tents where he'd engage students with his signature challenge: "prove me wrong." When a sniper's bullet ended his life at a Utah university, it threatened to become another flashpoint in America's increasingly volatile political landscape. Instead, something remarkable happened. Just days...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to lead through chaos? Tracy Nolan knows firsthand. This remarkable Fortune 100 executive has repeatedly stepped into roles most would consider overwhelming - from transforming struggling retail operations to merging telecom giants during a global pandemic. She also likes to solve puzzles. Tracy's journey from retail buyer to telecom executive to healthcare...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when crisis hits your business and the only information people can find about you online is that negative event? In our conversation with communications expert Tiffany Muehlbauer, we dive deep into her innovative "Pool Theory" concept that's changing how organizations approach crisis preparation. The Pool Theory isn't about shouting louder when tro...

Send us Fan Mail Behind every crisis response lies hidden patterns that determine success or failure. In this illuminating conversation, crisis communications expert Jeff Hahn pulls back the curtain on these patterns, sharing insights from his book "Breaking Bad News" and his decades of experience in the trenches of corporate crises. Drawing from his 15 years at Motorola handling everyth...

Send us Fan Mail When does crisis preparation cross the line into inauthentic communication? The recent Air India crash that claimed 270 lives sparked a fascinating controversy when their CEO's statement appeared virtually identical to American Airlines' earlier crisis statement. Crisis communications experts Tom Mueller, Mark Mullen, and guest Destin Singleton dive into this nuanced deb...

Send us Fan Mail A wall of water 40 feet high. Spotty cell service. A holiday weekend. These factors converged to create one of the deadliest flooding disasters in Texas history this July 4th weekend, claiming over 100 lives along the Guadalupe River, many of them young campers at Christian summer camps with century-old traditions. We take you inside the communications response, examining how comm...

Send us Fan Mail When disaster strikes, every word matters. The recent Air India crash that claimed 270 lives has revealed a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at crisis communications - their CEO's statement was virtually identical to one previously delivered by American Airlines following their own tragic incident.  This apparent copy-and-paste approach has ignited debate across social medi...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to prepare a community for disaster? In this revealing conversation with municipal crisis planning expert Alicia Johnson, we explore the critical differences between organizational readiness and community resilience—and why both are essential when disaster strikes. Drawing from her 20+ years of experience in emergency management, Alicia shares how her journey beg...

Send us Fan Mail Leadership under pressure doesn't get much more intense than directing wildland firefighting operations when lives hang in the balance. Kelly Martin, former Chief of Fire and Aviation for Yosemite National Park, brings us into the heart-stopping moments where leadership decisions mean the difference between safety and catastrophe. Drawing from decades on fire lines, Martin re...

Send us Fan Mail When a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch in February 2011, crisis manager Brendan Winder faced the ultimate test of leadership. The devastation was immense - 185 lives lost, 8,000 properties abandoned, and a city center that would need to be completely reimagined. Brendan takes us behind the scenes of the emergency response, revealing the split-second decisions that sav...

Send us Fan Mail The rise of long-form interviews has created a new challenge for executives trying to balance authenticity with strategic messaging. Communications expert Janie Jordan joins us to unpack why these seemingly relaxed conversations can actually be the most difficult media format to navigate successfully. We also examine the rapid evolution of crisis communications through recent airl...

Send us Fan Mail The media landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and crisis communications must evolve alongside it. Communications expert Janie Jordan joins us from Australia to explore how influencers and alternative media are reshaping political discourse and crisis management strategies. We dive into the Trump administration's controversial addition of influencers to White House press...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for an engaging conversation with Katy O'Hara, a seasoned public information officer and firefighter, who shares her formidable experiences in crisis communications. With a background in both wildland firefighting and military service, Katie provides unique insights into the challenges faced in high-pressure situations. From her deployment in Afghanistan to her work o...

Send us Fan Mail Wildfires are not just a devastating force of nature; they are a crisis that tests the limits of communication and collaboration. In this episode, we engage with Katy O’Hara, a fire management specialist with a wealth of experience in crisis communication and public information. Katy sheds light on the challenges faced by public information officers during wildfire emergencies, es...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the critical role of the Family Liaison Officer in search and rescue operations with our guest, Moose Mutlow, a seasoned expert in the field. Moose sheds light on how this pivotal role serves as the communication lifeline between the incident commander and the families of missing persons, particularly in the challenging landscapes of Yosemite National Park. Through Moose&...

Send us Fan Mail Discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing crisis communication management alongside our esteemed guest, Philippe Boremans. With his extensive experience in public relations, particularly in crisis and risk communication, Philippe unveils how AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping the landscape. He shares invaluable insights on leveraging these technologies for efficient...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the secrets of crisis management on social media with our special guest, Destin Singleton, a seasoned corporate communications expert. Recognized as one of the top 20 business management podcasts in Texas, we're thrilled to bring you Destin's insights on effectively navigating localized incidents. From discussing the merits of creating temporary local social med...

Send us Fan Mail Destin Singleton joins us on the Leading in a Crisis podcast to unravel the complex dynamics of hosting high-profile figures at your organization. Imagine receiving a call from the White House with just 72 hours to prepare for a presidential visit to your facility. Destin takes us behind the scenes of her tumultuous experience managing a last-minute presidential visit at an oil re...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode Marc and Tom are joined again by Destin Singleton and we discuss the value - and surprises - that can come from a periodic refresh of your crisis plan. We call it spring cleaning. And a spruced up plan smells so much nicer, don't you think? Company reorganizations, personnel changes in your team or in other departments can all impact your crisis plans. New peo...

Send us Fan Mail On January 29, an American Airlines commuter plane collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport. All aboard both aircraft were killed, in what is our nation's worst airline incident in 11 years.  How did American Airlines manage early communications around this horrific incident, a worst case scenario for any airline? We walk through the company&apo...

Send us Fan Mail In part 2 of our conversation about PTSD in the crisis management realm, we continue our conversation with Sara McKeown White, executive director of the Mental Health Coalition of Teton Valley.  Sara shares tips for avoiding PTSD and other mental health issues when living and working in highly stressful situations. Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show...

Send us Fan Mail PTSD or post traumatic stress disorder is most often associated with combat veterans returning home after a lengthy, risk-filled deployment in battlefield conditions. But PTSD can also affect team members who deploy out to a major crisis incident response. They are often dealing with situations that threaten people and communities, where emotions are running high and responder str...

Send us Fan Mail One of the key tenets of crisis planning is having a surge capacity that allows you to scale up your available resources when a crisis strikes. Most companies struggle with this over time, as it can be costly to keep a PR firm or other resources on retainer. Budget cycles make this expense hard to justify, especially if your firm hasn't suffered a  major crisis. In this episo...

Send us Fan Mail How do you keep your team going when every second counts and the stakes couldn't be higher? Join us as Amanda Coleman, a press officer with the Greater Manchester Police at the time the incident occurred, shares her gripping experience managing the aftermath of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack. Amanda opens up about the initial misjudgment of staffing needs, the rapid bu...