Zelensky’s Wartime Leadership Provides 7 Crisis Management Lessons

Commentary from crisis management expert Edward Segal, author of the bestselling and award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies and a Leadership Strategies Senior Contributor for Forbes.com.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership skills have been constantly tested since Russia invaded his country in 2022. How he has led Ukraine during a challenging and stressful time in its history provides important crisis leadership lessons for corporate executives.

“Zelensky hasn’t just held Ukraine together, but forged a leadership archetype built on resilience, clarity, and moral velocity. This is not just a a model suitable for wartime…It’s a new standard for leading through chaos,” Irina Tsukerman, president of Scarab Rising which provides political risk assessment and geopolitical analysis, told me via email..

One of Zelensky’s initial leadership lessons is the importance of having the right priorities when a crisis strikes. Soon after Russia attacked Ukraine, Zelensky turned down an offer from the United States to be evacuated from the capital city of Kyiv, CNN reported. “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,” Zelensky told the U.S.

Another of his crisis management lessons is to set the record straight when others distort the facts of a crisis. That’s what Zelensky when a deepfake video showed “a rendering of the Ukrainian president appearing to tell his soldiers to lay down their arms and surrender the fight against Russia…” according to NPR. Zelensky responded to the disinformation by posting his own video entitled “do not believe the fakes,” in which he announced that “I am here. We are not putting down arms. We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this.”

An important part of leading a country or a company during a crisis is to be seen and heard during the crisis. The Ukrainian president has generated international headlines by telling his side of the about Russia’s invasion in a variety of settings, including speaking to a joint session of Congress.

Zelensky’s leadership “is anchored in visibility. In times of [an] existential crisis, he made himself omnipresent. Far from limiting himself to control rooms or back channels, he was ubiquitous in the eyes of his people and the world. He was there in fatigues, on the street, in the ruins. That visibility became its own kind of power. For business leaders navigating disruption, the takeaway is clear: presence matters. Inertia erodes trust. Visibility builds it,” Tsukerman of Scarab Rising noted.

Adapt

Circumstances can change quickly in war and corporate crisis situations. That is why it is a leadership crisis management best practice for political and business leaders to adapt and react appropriately to developments before matters get worse.

Zelensky has not hesitated to alter his strategies, tactics, and tactics depending on what was happening on the battlefield or in the world of diplomacy. The surprise drone attack this month that destroyed several Russian aircraft deep within enemy territory is one example. “The attack, a headline-grabbing show of strength carried out on the eve of the second round of peace talks between the warring countries in Istanbul, targeted at least four Russian military air bases, the furthest of which from Ukraine is the Belaya base in the Siberian region of Irkutsk, around 4,850 km (3,000 miles) from Kyiv,” Reuters reported.

“In business terms, [Zelensky] is a CEO who learned how to pivot not because the market shifted, but because the building was literally on fire. His responsiveness didn’t dilute his mission but actively reinforced it,” according to Tsukerman.

Set Egos Aside

Since the war with Russia began Zelensky has consistently found “new ways to engage with partners, allies, and even frenemies. He’s willing to compromise his ego in the pursuit of better opportunities for his country’s prospects, highlighted by his tense and sometimes adversarial relationship with President Trump,” Jeff Le, a Fellow at George Mason University’s National Security Institute and managing principal at 100 Mile Strategies, a communication and policy consultancy, told me in an email message.

The Ukraine president “continues to emphasize self-reliance and creative know-how on the battlefield and in negotiations, operating on the assumption that they may, at times, be on their own,” Le observed.

Prepare For Worst-Case Scenarios

Business executives should not be surprised when others challenge or disagree when they attempt to tell their side of the story about a crisis. That’s why preparation is critical to help ensure that messages about a crisis are communicated successfully. A case in point was the disastrous televised confrontation at the White House earlier this year between Zelensky, President Donald Trump, and other administration officials.

The session was a worst-case communication scenario that became a nightmare reality for Zelensky and his country’s supporters. The purpose of Zelensky’s visit to Washington was to sign an agreement with Trump that would give the U.S. rights to rare minerals in Ukraine. Zelensky attempted to tell his side of the story about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but was interrupted by a combative and argumentative Trump, who repeatedly accused the Ukrainian president that he was “gambling with World War III.”

“Crisis communication is a crucial part of crisis leadership. Listen to your advisors. Get strong media training. I often think back to Zelensky’[at that meeting] with Trump [in the Oval Office]. Although he had advisors, he wasn’t fully prepared for that high-stakes moment,” Barbara Bell, Captain USN (ret), an adjunct professor of leadership and ethics at the U.S. Naval Academy, told me an in email interview. “With a well-developed risk communication strategy—and disciplined focus on key messages—the outcome might have been very different.”

Bell recalls the important lessons she learned about communicating messages effectively about crisis situations.“Years ago, during my own risk communication training, I learned a core principle: develop three key messages for any high-risk communication, each with three supporting points. The goal is to consistently bridge back to your core messages—and stay there,” she concluded.

Be Ready For The Long Haul

Depending on the nature of a crisis, business leaders should be ready for the long haul. Now more than three yeas later, Ukraine’s war with Russia continues to rage. It highlights another important leadership lesson: the longer a crisis lasts, executives may have to make increasingly difficult decisions, know the lengths to which they will defend their companies, and what lines they will or won’t cross to address and end the crisis.

Since the war began “Zelensky has faced that question many times. All leaders must. Crises don’t always resolve quickly. You must be ready for the long haul. Zelensky has disrupted conventional warfare while enduring tremendous human loss—potentially an entire generation of young men. Leaders must define their red lines—and then, in some cases, decide whether they’re willing to compromise,” Bell of the U.S. Naval Academy warned..

Like many business executives, Zelensky had no prior experience managing a crisis. He was after all, a comedian who became a wartime president. And like his counterparts in the corporate world, his leadership was forged in the fires of adversity.

That adversity shows no signs of letting up for Zelensky. In April, Trump criticized him “for his comments that Ukraine wouldn’t recognize Russian control of Crimea, calling the remarks ‘very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia,” CNN reported.“It’s inflammatory statements like Zelensky’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about! The situation for Ukraine is dire—He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” he posted on Truth Social.

The longer the war continues—and the longer Zelensky leads his country—the more likely it is that business executives could learn yet more leadership lessons from the Ukrainian president.

Crisis Prevention Lessons From Ads And Promotions That Backfired

Commentary from crisis management expert Edward Segal, author of the bestselling and award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies and a Leadership Strategies Senior Contributor for Forbes.com.

In their efforts to grab the attention of audiences, some companies have crossed the line and generated the wrong kind of publicity about their brands and products. Those headline-making mistakes provide business leaders with important lessons about preventing public relations and advertising-related crisis situations.

Companies that are not sensitive to the concerns or priorities of others—or ignore them—run the risk of creating a self-inflicted crisis. Recent examples include Nike, Apple, and prebiotic soda maker Poppi.

Nike

The phrase “Never again” is often used by Jews and others as a vow to help prevent another Holocaust and also repeated in Holocaust remembrances. Sneaker manufacturer Nike faced blowback when it used the phrase on billboards at last month’s London Marathon. The billboards, which were directed at the event’s 56,000 runners at the end of the race, included the slogans “Never again, until next year” and “Never again, see you next year.”

The use of the phrase in that context did not sit well with observers and could have easily been red-flagged before it was approved to be included in the ads.

Jonathan Sacerdoti, a columnist writing in the British magazine The Spectator, said the billboards were “insulting and profoundly distasteful.” He noted that “it would have taken just one set of discerning eyes, one solitary voice, one ‘sensitivity reader’ to raise a gentle objection. Did not a single Jew suggest that it might be inappropriate? Did not a single non-Jew, with a grasp of history or an awareness of today’s climate, flag it? If not, why not? Was this ignorance, carelessness, or a chilling indifference?”

The fact that the slogan was used the way it was less than two years after Hamas’ attack on Israel apparently struck a raw nerve for others. “The idea that @Nike would make light of the holocaust using Hitler-red imagery in a post-October 7th world is stunning,” the activist Jewish American investor Bill Ackman wrote on X, The Times of Israel reported.

Nike followed a best practice in responding to the situation by explaining why ‘Never again” was included on the billboards.”We did not mean any harm and apologize for any we caused. The London billboards were part of a broader campaign titled ‘Winning Isn’t Comfortable,’ built on runners’ insights and designed to motivate runners to push past what they think is possible,” a Nike spokesperson said in a statement, according to Adweek.

Poppi

Days before its TV commercial that ran during the 2025 Super Bowl, prebiotic soda maker Poppi sent large pink vending machines filled with its products to 32 influencers. “Recipients began posting videos of the machines, and mayhem ensued: some consumers expressed anger at Poppi for sending free products to ‘rich people,’while others bemoaned the message it sent to fans of the brand and smaller creators,” Marketing Brew reported.

Other critics said the campaign was tone deaf and that the money that was spent on it could have been used to help people who were impacted by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, Christina Garnett, chief customer and communications officer at advertising agency neumotion, told me in an email message.

The Company’s Explanation

Allison Ellsworth, Poppi’s co-founder and chief brand officer, posted a video on TikTok to explain the campaign and refute misconceptions about it, such as the cost of the vending machines and how the equipment would be used in the future. “These vending machines will be a part of the brand for years to come, and we want to work with you guys to get them out to the places you’d like to see them out in the world.” She denied reports that the machines cost $25,000 each.

“Whether the stunt went wrong and they had to pivot or the stunt wasn’t effectively communicated through the campaign, the CEO took steps to fix the situation and showcase they she listened to her customers and wanted to use this as an opportunity to help those who were less fortunate,” Garnett of neumotion observed.

Apple

Getting attention for a company’s products is important—but so is sending the right message about the products, and why people should buy them. Last August, Apple ran a 10-minute promotional video on YouTube that showed co-workers in Thailand using the company’s products.The company pulled the ad after people complained that it showed an unrealistic, outdated depiction of the country, according to CNN reported.

Some critics on social media argued that the use of a sepia filter made the country look as if it is undeveloped. Others took issues with how the airport, transport, clothing and accommodations were depicted, according to the Bangkok Post. “Thai people are deeply unhappy with the advertisement,” Thai lawmaker Sattra Sripan said in a statement reported by Bloomberg. “I encourage Thai people to stop using Apple products and change to other brands.”

An Apple spokesperson explained to CNN how and why the video was made. “In our fifth installment of ‘The Underdogs’ ad series, we collaborated with a local production company to create a film set in Thailand. Our intent was to celebrate the country’s optimism and culture, and we apologize for not fully capturing the vibrancy of Thailand today,” he said.

Apple’s misstep is a lesson for all companies that marketing messages should be in sync with how their brands are perceived by the public and do nothing to harm the reputation of the product—or its company. If not, the result could be a crisis. Indeed, the crisis management hall of fame is filled with examples of companies, organizations, and high-profile individuals who only had themselves to blame for creating a crisis or negative publicity.

In their rush to generate awareness about their brands and products, business leaders and their staffs should take a reality check by asking themselves this important question: “What’s the worst thing that could happen with this advertising or public relations stunt, and are we prepared for any potential blowback and criticism?” Otherwise, the awareness that’s generated by the ad or promotion may not be the kind of awareness that the company wants or needs.

How Universities Are Following The Corporate Crisis Management Playbook

Commentary from crisis management expert Edward Segal, author of the bestselling and award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies and a Leadership Strategies Senior Contributor for Forbes.com

Educational institutions across the country are following a proven and effective strategy that’s favored by many business leaders when responding to a crisis: there is strength in numbers.

Hundreds of colleges and universities have signed a headline-making statement opposing President Donald Trump’s actions and policies that threaten academic freedom. “We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” the statement said. More than a dozen other universities are considering banding together to form a NATO-like alliance to help defend themselves against the Trump administration.

Protecting their best interests is nothing new for companies and organizations, which long ago formed trade associations in their industries to help defend themselves against government interference. They’ve learned over the years that teaming up with others—including competitors—can give them a strategic advantage, stronger voice, greater leverage, and important resources that they do not have or can afford on their own.

“The history of the trade association in America goes way back. Some of the oldest, such as the Journeyman Stonecutters Association of North America, the Custom Tailors & Designers Association and the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association, were founded in the 19th century,” according to NPR.

I know first-hand how valuable industry alliances can be. Earlier in my career, I was the CEO and government affairs director of a regional trade association in the real estate industry. In those roles, I advocated on behalf of our corporate and individual members, and fought against proposals by local governments that would have made it more challenging for them to succeed.

Our small organization and its members belonged to two larger associations that worked on their behalf on statewide and national challenges to the real estate industry. More often than not, the three associations were successful in fending off threats and advocating for the best interests its members.

It’s not unusual for one company to belong to several trade associations.

“Our firm, Paradox Public Relations. is a member of several, including the Government Blockchain Association and the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council. We advise our clients facing crisis situations to start their behind-the-scenes containment or mitigation with their relevant industry trade organizations,” Davis Richardson, founder and president of Paradox Public Relations, told me via email.

Advocacy And Advice

In addition to fighting on behalf of members, some associations provide advice about strategies, tactics, and techniques for preparing and responding to different crisis situations.

The American Society of Association Executives, for example, prepared a guide that, according to its website, “explores critical considerations on business continuity planning, risk management strategies, and crisis management plans, tailored to the unique needs of associations. Whether you’re managing employees, members, volunteers, or sponsors, this guide provides actionable solutions for a wide array of potential risks, including cybersecurity, intellectual property, and event safety.”

Citing statistics that most small businesses do not have a disaster plan or adequate insurance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce makes Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Quick Guides available to its members.

“These tools will provide local chambers and small businesses with practical tools and resources to help your chamber and your business become better prepared for disasters and better understand what steps to take after an event occurs,” according to the organization’s website.

Many business leaders already know the value of joining together in order to respond more effectively and forcefully when a crisis strikes. And beyond the value of strength in numbers, their trade associations might serve as a resource of advice and information on how they can prepare, manage, and recover from a crisis.

Whether they form or join alliances or beef up their own defenses against a crisis, the sooner they do it, the better.

How Pope Francis Offered Leaders A Masterclass In Rebranding

Commentary from crisis management expert Edward Segal, author of the bestselling and award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies and a Leadership Strategies Senior Contributor for Forbes.com

Lessons in leading and rebranding organizations usually come from the corporate world. But the death of Pope Francis in April provides a new source of lessons from the man who led more than one billion Catholics around the globe. His leadership and rebranding legacies could help inspire others who are facing similar challenges at their companies.

As the living symbol of the Roman Catholic Church for the past 12 years, Francis put a new face on the organization by emphasizing his concern and love for children and taking stands on hot-button issues such as climate change, immigration, and Gaza.

An important component of Francis’ rebranding campaign was his role as an activist, such as when he called for the acceptance of gay people.”It was a dramatic departure from the way the previous figureheads of the Holy See and church doctrine had often spoken about gay people, describing homosexuality as “an intrinsic moral evil” and an “objective disorder,” and the relatively accepting tone would go on to become a major theme of Francis’ papacy and, now, his complex legacy,” NBC News reported. He also approved the blessing of same-sex couples by priests.

Francis’ tenure was not without controversy however, such as when he used a slur to describe gays. He was, in a word, authentic. Even accounting for their missteps and controversies, executives who are authentic in what they say and do are more likely to convince others to follow them.

A key lesson is Francis’ masterclass in rebranding was how he ensured that his deeds matched his words. Jensen Savage, CEO of marketing firm Savage Growth Partners, told me via email that Francis “led by example—whether that’s choosing to live in modest quarters or washing the feet of prisoners. It’s not performative, it’s consistent. And that consistency builds deep trust. In a corporate context, leaders who embrace service over status often inspire greater loyalty, collaboration, and long-term impact.”

New CEOs who inherit dormant and staid companies will often take steps to wake up, shake up, and rebrand their organizations. Teynse William, a digitial marketing adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida, told me in an email message that Francis was innovative in how he challenged norms “within one of the most tradition-bound institutions in the world. From climate change to inclusivity, he wasn’t afraid to modernize the message without compromising the mission.”

Building Bridges

To ensure their effectiveness as leaders and the success of their rebranding efforts, CEOs need to connect with others and build bridges instead of walls. Francis exceeded at building those bridges.

“Pope Francis often spoke about the importance of dialogue and creating unity, where he acted as a unifier. He met with world leaders across ideological divides and various religious backgrounds, offering common ground over condemnation, Williams recalled.“In business, leaders can adopt this philosophy by fostering collaboration both within their organizations and with external partners. By breaking down silos and cultivating a culture of collaboration, you can drive collective success for your company—your job isn’t to take sides—it’s to align people behind a shared mission and push them forward!”

Ann Skeet is the director of leadership ethics at the Markula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, which is a Jesuit institution. She told me an an email interview that Francis, the first Jesuit pope, helped build bridges three ways.

“The first is his humility, which he used to connect with his followers as if to say, ‘see, I am one of you.’ The second is the way he encouraged connection between people, suggesting that we go towards relationships we have with others, which he captured in the phrase a ‘culture of encounter.’’

The third way was how he shared his vision with others. He “provided a master class in crafting a shared vision, writing early in his papacy about the need to protect and care for our common home, the earth, and exemplifying the good stewardship that all leaders should adopt in their roles,” Skeet pointed out.

Confronting Difficult Issues

In today’s challenging business environment, CEOs are facing a growing number of difficult issues such as AI, DEI, and tariffs that can make their leadership and rebranding efforts even more challenging. How well executives deal with and overcome those challenges can help reinforce their image and credibility—or tarnish them.

There was no shortage of challenging issues for the pope to contend with, including poverty and climate change.

“Pope Francis never shied away from tackling the toughest issues of our time. His courage in facing these challenges head-on serves as an example for executives, who must be willing to address difficult topics and lead their organizations through complex and, at times, uncomfortable transformations,” according to Williams. “Companies today face consumers and stakeholders who demand honesty and integrity. By being transparent, especially during crises, leaders can build and maintain credibility, fostering an atmosphere of trust within and outside their corporations.”

Credibility

CEOs who demand respect simply because of their title make it harder for people to respect them and for their rebranding initiatives to success. That’s because true respect is earned from what executives say, do, and how they connect with others.

“Whether you’re running a global organization or a growing law firm like I do, your ability to lead well depends on how well you connect—with purpose, with empathy, and with truth,” Brittany Truszkowski, the chief operating officer of Grand Canyon Law Group told me in an email message. Francis “modeled servant leadership in a way that transcended religion or politics. He prioritized listening over lecturing, simplicity over showmanship, and people over power. That’s rare in any leadership role,” she pointed out.

“Just as some believe Jesus wore the shabby clothes of a beggar to accentuate his care for the poor and disinterest in material wealth, the sartorial choices of Pope Francis — known for his outspoken support of migrants and oppressed people around the world — helped convey a similar message,” the Washington Post observed.

Humility And Accessibility

Pope Francis did not let his position and stature create barriers between himself and those he served, which was another was to help reinforce his rebranding efforts. “Pope Francis practiced humility in both his personal life and his leadership. Instead of living in luxurious papal apartments, he chose simpler accommodations. He changed his title from ‘Supreme Pontiff’ to ‘Bishop of Rome’ and was accessible to people from all walks of life, ”Phillip B. Wilson, president and general counsel at LRI Consulting Services told me in an email interview.

“Executives who are open to different points of view and want to collaborate can make it easier to connect with employees. As Francis himself said, ‘I like it when someone tells me ‘I don’t agree.’ This is a true collaborator.” Leaders often don’t like to be contradicted, especially in front of others. Francis showed that true leaders don’t believe they have all the answers and are open to disagreement and suggestions from those they lead,” Wilson observed.

“Pope Francis was always open to listening to those around him, even those he disagreed with. [A day] before his death, he met with Vice President J.D. Vance, with whom Francis publicly disagreed over U.S. immigration policy,” Wilson noted.

The death yesterday of Pope Francis casts a spotlight on how he led and rebranded the Roman Catholic for the past dozen years. CEOs who are facing their own branding and rebranding challenges could be well served in studying how Francis’ leadership style contributed to his successes.

The 10 Biggest Risks And Threats For Businesses In 2023

Commentary from crisis management expert Edward Segal, author of the bestselling and award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (Nicholas Brealey, 2020)

Risks and threats can be forerunners to crisis situations for companies and organizations. An informal survey of CEOs, advertising, and other executives and experts yielded what they thought are the most significant dangers businesses will face this year.

Recession

“The biggest and most obvious threat to companies and organizations in 2023 is the global rise of inflation and subsequent economic downturn,” Richard Osborne, founder and CEO of UK Business Forums, said via email.

“Recession is the word on everyone’s lips heading into 2023. While profiting during a period of high inflation isn’t completely impossible, it’s far from ideal when consumers have less purchasing power. The value of a currency is only as high as the number of goods or services that one unit of money can buy,” he noted.

Interest Rates

“The raised interest rates will continue to burn working capital for businesses across the economy,” Salvatore Stile, chairman of Alba Wheels Up International, an international shipping and customs clearance company, said via email.

“Because retailers are concerned with consumer demand, they will likely be more cautious in purchasing inventory to prevent over-supply in the retail market,” he predicted.

“This will burden small and medium-sized companies, who will have to be de facto warehouses for the retailers, as they hold products for more extended periods. We expect freight rates to reduce in 2023 when compared to 2022, as demand for overseas goods has reduced across the board,” Stile observed.

Labor Shortage

“Today’s labor shortage and skills gap challenges will continue into 2023 as HR teams bolster their recruitment and retention efforts to reach and retain talent across all levels of the organization,” Veena Bricker, chief people officer of data center provider Flexential, said via email.

“HR teams will explore more diverse avenues, job boards and organizations to find the shared skills needed to support the business, dipping into all major and secondary markets. We’ll also see attrition measurement practices increase as organizations will be held accountable for their own diversity spectrum—something proved invaluable to existing and prospective talent,” she predicted.

Rapidly Changing Market Trends

Risks and threats can be forerunners to crisis situations for companies and organizations. An informal survey of CEOs, advertising, and other executives and experts yielded what they thought were the most significant dangers businesses will face this year.

“The biggest risk companies have in 2023 is that market trends change much more rapidly than they used to, and being slow to react can be detrimental,” Isabella Sun, CEO of Short Story, a San Francisco-based clothing retailer, said via email.

This year “will require companies to develop an ultra-fast reaction time to macro movements and to use their data and technology to make rapid decisions…organizations need to get maximum utility from the technology and data they have to turbocharge their reaction time,” she advised.

Supply Chains

“We’re still far from solving issues related to global supply chains. And that’s a problem that will continue to plague businesses as we head into 2023,” Bob Rogers, CEO of Oii.ai, a data science company specializing in supply chain modeling, said via email

“What people don’t realize is that most supply chains are configured manually. That means there’s a human adjusting the parameters every time an interruption occurs. But that’s a tedious task that people are simply too inefficient to do successfully on a large scale,” he commented.

Cybersecurity

“Cybersecurity is a hot button for business executives in 2023. This burden is no longer limited to the responsibility of just the IT department,” Howard Globus, founder and CEO of IT on Demand, said via email.

He noted that, “In a 2022 report, Gartner research shows that 88% of board regard cybersecurity as a business risk rather that solely a technical IT problem. The same report says that by 2026, at least 50% of C-Level executives will have performance requirements related to cybersecurity risk built into their employment contracts.”

Damage To Reputations

“The biggest threat to brands and businesses in 2023 will be reputational damage,” Ashlene Larson, the director of PR and social media for advertising agency Planit, said via email.

“Reputational damage continues to be a threat as a result of increasing political extremism, social justice issues, environmental concerns and more. As the media landscape and social media networks become more fractured, consumers do not always know what to believe,” she noted.

“It’s not easy to undo or correct misinformation once it’s out there, and brands will need to remain vigilant with monitoring for threats, being proactive with their responses and continuing to nurture direct relationships with their audiences,” Larson concluded.

Inability To Reach Target Audiences

“It’s become increasingly difficult for brands to reach their audiences as consumers have been inundated with information overload and so many new ways to access and view content across screens,” Amy Leifer, chief advertising sales officer for DIRECTV, said via email.

“To truly resonate with consumers in 2023, we’ll see brands continue to think outside the box to better understand and connect with their most valued customers through relevant and personalized advertising that leverages creativity and utilizes new technology,” she predicted.

Mental Health Issues In The Workplace

“The biggest risks facing business in 2023 will include an ongoing epidemic of mental health issues that show up at work,” Dr. Christy Gibson, author of The Modern Trauma Toolkit and co-founder of a company that focuses on stress-related work issues, said via email.

“Organizations are ill-prepared for this wave of psychological distress that inevitably shows up in the workplace. They don’t have mandatory trauma-informed training to keep their environments safer.

“They have no skills for psychological first aid. There aren’t in-house skillsets to help people manage emotional problems. The expectations of leaders for employees to return to the status quo as if the pandemic and other collective traumas aren’t happening will further contribute to the global distress,” she warned.

Lack Of Succession Planning

“Boomers are the most massive American population cohort, and as boomers exit the workforce, there’s not enough succession planning or workforce replacement,” Robert Jordan, CEO and co-founder of Interim Executives, said via email.

“Likely, we’ll see more businesses changing hands to outsiders. Successfully transitioning business ownership to either next-generation family members or external new owners will require more time and dedication to training young leaders to take on the reigns,” he predicted.

The Important Roles War Rooms Play Before And During A Business Crisis

Commentary from crisis management expert Edward Segal, author of the bestselling and award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (Nicholas Brealey, 2020)

Recent news that England’s National Health Service said that it will establish war rooms to help prepare for and respond to the impact of the coming winter underscores the important role the command centers can play in managing crises.

“These centers will be expected to manage demand and capacity across the entire country by constantly tracking beds and attendances,” The Guardian reported. “They will be operated by clinicians and experts who can make quick decisions about emerging challenges in the health service, NHS England said.”

In the corporate world, war rooms can play similarly important roles to help business leaders prepare for, manage and recover from a crisis.

Preparing For Worst-Case Scenarios

“Companies use war rooms to prepare for worst-case scenarios, improve collaboration during events, and help responders adapt and communicate more effectively during crises,” Carla Bevins, an assistant teaching professor of business communication at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, said via email.

Avoiding Misccommunication

A war room “is a centralized center where information from numerous sources is processed, and open communication creates a clear voice of response,” Bevins observed.

They “are useful when a larger number of people are needed to resolve an incident and when cross-functional involvement is necessary. If teams are working independently on the same issue, this can lead to miscommunication, and it can prolong the issue. War rooms allow all teams to work on a resolution together while communicating openly and adapting quickly. War rooms ensure there are no delays in communicating new and essential information,” she noted.

“Effective crisis communications effort requires coordinated internal collaboration and parallel processing,” and observed that “war rooms create a dynamic environment where these conversations can happen.”

“Make sure that your war room is well equipped with all the tools you’ll need before you need them,” Bevins advised.

Helping To Build Crisis Management Skills

A war room is most important before a crisis breaks out “because it’s in the war room where you rehearse, prepare and build skills in crisis management,” Andy Whitehouse, an assistant professor at Columbia University who teaches crisis communications, said via email.

“In my class, I argue that companies should regularly bring together the crisis team in the war room to role-play a crisis—since this is the only way to ensure that the team has the experience, capabilities and comfort to manage a crisis when it happens. A live crisis in a war room is not the moment to find out that an executive isn’t ready for game time,” he advised.

“Who should be in the war room? It depends on the scenario. Communications, legal, HR and operations will almost always be present, but other leaders, such as the chief technology officer or the head of security, might be there for a specific crisis,” Whitehouse recommended.

‘Use War Rooms Judiciously’

“Use war rooms judiciously. If you continue to use a war room when it’s not needed, its effectiveness can decline. Crises are inherently stressful events where teams work long hours for many days. As the leader of a war room, lead by example by remaining calm and collected,” Bevins advised.

“When you act as a role model, you help create a psychologically safe space where team members see they have an open line of communication. This can encourage them to speak up when they become stressed or. need support,” she observed.

Size Does Not Matter

“I was trained in IT using war rooms starting back in the 90s for outages at the large financial services firms,” Karolyn Hart, founder and president of InspireHub, recalled via email. “I think what would surprise people is that they aren’t just effective for large companies but even for small tech firms. Perhaps, especially so.”

“Our team has been remote for 9+ years, and we have a virtual war room…Even today, with all [the] automated alerts and technology now available, nothing replaces everyone being gathered together,” she noted.

‘No Chicken Little Moments’

“Our war room is only called when a certain…criteria that we have established is not being met. Everyone in the company understands what that is and the steps that are necessary to call a war room. There are no ‘chicken little’ moments because when this happens, we know for certain it’s serious. The alerts go out, and the team assembles,” Hart said.

“We assemble in our war room, and the team knows their roles. (Who is troubleshooting, who is running liaison to customers (if impacted), who is testing, etc.).

“When I arrive [at the war room], my job is to keep the team calm. Science has proven that software developers’ ability to troubleshoot goes down with anxiety and stress. I ask questions along with everyone else as we troubleshoot, but I feel my biggest contribution is keeping them calm,” she commented.

‘Not Just For Firefighting’

War rooms can be useful even when there is no immediate crisis, such as preparing for the threat of an economic-related challenge like inflation and recession, according to Ram Charan, a former Harvard business professor and co-author of Leading Through Inflation, said in a statement.

“An ideal war room is not just for firefighting; it is also strategic. Early warning signals will tell you not just where the problems are emerging but also their pace. They allow you to be predictive, prescriptive, and preemptive.

“If the CEO doesn’t take the initiative to create a war room, the board should propose it. Maybe do an off-site with the top team. Conversely, the CEO may want to call a special meeting of the board solely to discuss how inflation and recession will affect the company.

“If you don’t have a war room, you’re falling behind,” Charan warned.

How Adidas Finally Responded To Their Kanye West Crisis

Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Bestselling Author of the Award-Winning Book “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies” (Nicholas Brealey)

Companies seeking to profit from relationships with celebrities can find themselves in a crisis when celebrities do or say controversial things that can tarnish corporate brands, images and reputations.

Because the court of public opinion can render its verdict quickly, corporate executives need to react just as fast to help prevent or mitigate damage to their brands.

The latest example is Adidas, which has sold rapper Kanye West’s line of shoes and has had a marketing partnership with him for almost a decade. But the singer, who now calls himself Ye, continues to make international headlines with his antisemitic comments and views.

Ye has not apologized or recanted, which today led Adidas to terminate its partnership with the singer.

“Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech,” the company said in a statement. “Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”

Other companies, including CAA, the talent agency that has represented Ye, has also cut its ties with the artist.

Slow To Respond

“The German footwear giant said at the start of this month that its partnership was under review — but since then has not issued any updates and continues to release new Yeezy merchandise, even as the rapper doubles down on antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories,” NPR reported.

“The only surprise here is that it took Adidas way too long to respond,” John Goodman of John Goodman PR observed via email.

“This was such an outright anti-Semitic rant that it deserved an immediate response from the company. Sometimes it’s wise to wait a while before you respond. But this was so blatant and so offensive that Adidas needed to respond much sooner.”

“In crisis management, success is defined as not only doing the right thing, but doing it at the right time. In this case, Adidas did the right thing by terminating their relationship with Ye, and their statement hit the right notes, but they took too long to do it,” Nick Kalm, founder and CEO of Reputation Partners, a national strategic communications and public relations firm, said via email.

“Ye’s outrageous statements and actions began weeks ago, with the firestorm beginning immediately thereafter. It was a bit surprising that a consumer-facing company like Adidas was so slow to respond to the crisis, but perhaps it was due to the significant financial charge the company incurred as a result of the separation.

“In any case, any company with celebrity endorsers must have a crisis plan and scenario-based decision-making completed in advance,” Kalm observed.

‘Every Situation Is Different’

“Every situation is different, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. However, a good rule of thumb is to see what happens,” Stacy Elmore, cofounder of The Luxury Pergola, a company that works with social media influencers, said via email.

“Sometimes the controversy will blow over and be forgotten within a week or two, in which case you can resume normal operations as usual. But other times, the controversy will continue to be a topic of conversation (or even grow), and in that case, you’ll need to decide whether continuing to work with that celebrity is worth the potential backlash.”

“Keep in mind that the world doesn’t revolve around your brand—bad news for celebrities often means bad news for brands too. And finally, remember that the news cycle moves fast—if you do decide to part ways with a celebrity, don’t try to publicly embarrass them. It’s always a bad idea to burn bridges,” she counseled.

Other Variables

Adidas’ Kanye West crisis demonstrates “some of the inherent risks that brand collaborations with celebrities can entail and how brands might react. The nature of the controversy and the terms of the contract with the celebrity are often considerations that will guide brands” in how they respond, Ainsworth Bailey, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Toledo, said via email.

“Oftentimes, the controversy is of such a nature that public outcry will lead brands to dissociate themselves from the celebrity and terminate relationships with the person.

“However, termination is not always the response, as brands sometimes take into account whether it is a controversy that centers on some supposed moral failing, such as cheating on one’s spouse (Nike stood by Tiger Woods in this case) [or] kneeling in protest (Nike also stood by Colin Kaepernick in this case)…” Bailey recalled.

Setting The Ground Rules

“When assessing a brand, or company’s, ties to any endorsements including other brands, celebrities, etc., the most important work is done before the agreement is ever made,” Cassaundra Kalba, a publicist at Otter PR , said via email.

“Too often, brands are looking for high-profile people in their industry or in the media at the moment and don’t take the time to truly assess how mutually beneficial this partnership is going to be.”

“The C-suite at companies…such as Adidas, need to not only make sure their target markets align with the proposed endorsee, but also their values, morals, mission, etc. By doing this ahead of time, you can mitigate a lot of risk and potential issues within the partnership that may arise down the line,” she recommended.

“At the end of the day, put your own brand’s reputation before any other partnerships,” Kalba advised.

Edward Segal is a crisis management expert, consultant and the bestselling author of the award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (Nicholas Brealey). Click here to Order the book.

Segal is a Leadership Strategy Senior Contributor for Forbes.com where he covers crisis-related news, topics and issues. Click here to read his recent articles.

9 Leadership Lessons From Liz Truss’ Brief Tenure As Prime Minister Of The U.K.

Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Bestselling Author of the Award-Winning Book “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies” (Nicholas Brealey)

Despite Liz Truss’ record-setting brief tenure as prime minister of the U.K.—or because of it—there are several leadership lessons that corporate executives can learn from the British politican who resigned recently.

Don’t Rush To Make Changes

Take Time to Consult With Others

“Executives who are new to their role would be wise to avoid drastic changes within the first few weeks of leadership,” Stacy Rosenberg, an associate teaching professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College, said via email.

“It takes time to consult with advisors and build a coalition that can implement a plan. Moving too quickly without the input of experts or stakeholders demonstrates a lack of restraint and leads to unnecessary risk-taking.

“Establishing financial stability is a critical initial step when taking charge, particularly in a weak economy. Financial markets get spooked by sudden reversals. Leaders need a steady course, not a turnaround. Backtracking on decisions causes confusion and confusion creates panic in the markets,” Rosenberg observed.

Be Patient

“Similar to the fate of a prime minister, initiating corporate changes slowly, with patience—[which may] not always available or realistic—may permit innovation and transformation with minimal damage to the corporation and to oneself,” Karen Beckwith, a political science professor at Case Western University, said via email.

“Like a prime minister, losing the confidence of those who can remove one from power, usually requiring a majority vote of a board of directors, can lead to removal,” Beckwith warned.

Balance Matters

“You must balance the need for change with the human need for stability,” Jonathan Kirchner, an executive coach, business psychologist, and founder and CEO of AIIR Consulting,” said via email.

“Too great a change made too quickly, and your followers lose track of your core platform. They may even become so overwhelmed by the magnitude of change or the poor timing they immediately reject it. And yet, if a leader changes too cautiously or too slow, your followers may deem you irrelevant,” he predicted.

Your Words Can Come Back To Haunt You

Be very careful about what you say and how and when you say it.

Truss proclaimed that “I’m a fighter, not a quitter.”

She quit the next day.

Don’t Promise More Than You Can Deliver

In announcing her resignation, Truss said, “I recognize that given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.”

Have A Plan To Succeed

John Maxwell said “A leader knows the way, shows the way, goes the way,” Chris Westfall, author of Leadership Language, recalled via email.

“The clarity of vision was ultimately her demise—she lacked a plan that could pass the laugh test in Parliament. (The laugh test is where a leader shares her ideas, and,if no one laughs, you pass.) Liz knew she lacked the support for her initiatives, not only from her peers—but also from the British people,” Westfall noted.

The Importance Of Alliances

“One of the first things any strong leader would prioritize is forming alliances with other executive members to assist in calming the rest of the board and shareholders,” Ravi Balgobin Maharaj, a political analyst and consultant said in a statement.

But this was “something that Liz Truss seemed either unwilling or incapable of doing during her short stint as prime minister,” he commented.

Listen To Criticism

“The thing about leaders is that they are always being watched and scrutinized. Leaders have to accept the fact that the idea of being a leader is to be held accountable for your actions,” Stacey Kane, business development lead at e-commerce business platform Easy Merchant, said via email.

“However, from the moment Truss entered the office, she shrugged off her doubters, denying herself a sounding board that [could] help her make better judgments. As people rise up in an organization, there are always greater responsibilities.

“She placed too much weight on the free-market ideology, which everybody else around her disapproves of. She failed to listen and confront the brutal facts and advice coming from Tom Scholar, who is the top civil servant at the Treasury,” Kane observed.

‘Leadership Is Not About You As A Leader’

“Leadership is not about you as a leader. It shouldn’t be about an experiment of a certain ideology. It’s about everyone else around you. It’s about the people who will be affected by your decision,” Kane commented.

“If Truss [had] listened to criticisms and what other people had to say about her plans, she would have done so much better. As a business leader, you should take this as a serious lesson.

“Listen to what your people have to say because their perspective is more valuable than you think. Consult them and use their voices to filter out ideas because they are vital to solving crises and your overall long-term success,” Kane advised.

Remember What’s Important

“Any short tenure [such as Truss’] reminds corporate executives that leadership is as much about uniting one’s immediate team behind an idea or set of beliefs as it is about making tough decisions,” Rutger von Post, a partner with global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, said via email.

Edward Segal, CAE Crisis Management and Spokesperson Training Services Author of the forthcoming book on crisis management — Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (Nicholas Brealey/Hachette Distribution) Learn more about the book at PublicRelations.com 415-218-8600 (mobile)

10 Crisis Management Lessons Business Leaders Can Learn From Response To Hurricane Fiona

Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Bestselling Author of the Award-Winning Book “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies” (Nicholas Brealey)

Corporate executives could learn a thing or two about leadership and crisis management from how the federal government and local authorities prepared for and responded to Hurricane Fiona.

The hurricane delivered a knock-out punch to a U.S. territory that was trying to recover from Hurricane Maria five years ago. This will make a comeback from Hurricane Fiona even more challenging—and underscores the importance of the lessons others can learn from the situation.

Don’t Wait To Prepare

As soon as you know that a crisis is brewing, don’t wait to do something—anything—about it.

“FEMA has been tracking the potential impacts of this severe weather event well-ahead of the storm’s landfall,” Region 2 Administrator David Warrington said in a press release.

A day before Hurricane Fiona struck the island, FEMA announced that federal emergency aid was made available to Puerto Rico to help assist with their response to the storm.

Be Proactive

Once you see that trouble is on the horizon, do what you can to help mitigate the impact of the crisis.

Power

That’s what the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority did when it shut down electricity on the island in an effort to help lessen damage to the power grid, Clifford Oliver, a former assistant administrator of FEMA, said via email. He is a principal with Nanticoke Global Strategies and served as an advisor during the early stages of LUMA’s taking over of the the island’s grid.

“Best practices during hurricanes, with respect to managing electrical grids, is to take proactive actions to protect the grid (that consists of electrical generation, transmission, and distribution) from an uncontrolled cascading failure,” Oliver observed.

“Such [weather] events often lead to damage to sensitive components of the grid that were not directly damaged by the hurricane,” he noted. This additional damage results in further delay in restoring power [to] the grid once the storm threat passes and the electrical transmission and distribution portions of the grid are restored.

“Since LUMA has only had control of the electrical transmission and distribution portions of the grid for about two and a half years, they have only made limited progress in modernizing and improving the resilience of the electrical transmission and distribution portions of the grid,” Oliver commented.

Equipment, Facilities, And Supplies

FEMA said it had prepositioned supplies on the island including:

• Four strategically located warehouses throughout the island
• More than seven million liters of water
• More than four million ready-to-eat meals
• More than 215 generators
• More 100,000 tarps
• More than 28,000 plastic covers and more than 10,300 cots and other emergency supplies

Put Someone In Charge

Any response to a crisis—especially one as large as the impact of Hurricane Fiona—requires that someone is in charge to provide guidance, direction and make critical decisions in a timely manner.

“Robert Little III has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date,” FEMA said when President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for the island.

Give People The Authority And Power They Need

FEMA said that the declaration authorized them “to identify, mobilize and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding.”

Tell People What You Are Going To Do

In a press release, FEMA Region 2 Administrator Warrington said, “It is our mission to help people before, during and after disasters, and we remain committed to supporting the Government of Puerto Rico for as long as we are needed.”

Monitor The Situation

Pay very close attention to how the crisis is affecting people.

“I have been continuously monitoring the developments of Hurricane Fiona and its impact on the people of Puerto Rico,” SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman said in a statement.

Act Quickly

Respond as soon as possible to the impact of the crisis.

“Following President Biden’s swift action to issue an Emergency Disaster Declaration for Puerto Rico, the SBA quickly mobilized and positioned disaster assistance staff and resources on the ground to help communities and businesses impacted,” Guzman said in a press release.

Visit The Site Of the Crisis

Depending on the nature and location of a crisis, it may be appropriate for officials to go to the site of the emergency.

FEMA said yesterday that Administrator Deanne Criswell plans to do just that. She will “travel to Puerto Rico to assess the devastation caused by Hurricane Fiona and determine the additional resources needed to support the island’s recovery,” the agency said in a press release.

Provide All The Help That’s Needed

Ensuring that those who are on the front lines of the situation have what they need to respond effectively, efficiently and strategically should always be a top priority.

“Our partnership with the Government of Puerto Rico has never been stronger, and we remain committed to helping them respond to and recover from Hurricane Fiona,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said in a press release. “We’re sending hundreds of additional staff in the next few days to place staff in each of the impacted communities to supplement our already vast footprint.”

FEMA said in a press release that it had “deployed one national and four regional Incident Management Teams and two Urban Search and Rescue teams to augment the hundreds of FEMA personnel on the ground. The additional staff will help bolster the Government of Puerto Rico’s response efforts.”

“One of the ways FEMA is providing additional resources is by increasing the number of field operations resources, including staff,” it said in a press release.

Learn From Your Mistakes

Lessons From Hurricane Maria

“By most accounts, improved preparatory measures were taken in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, relying upon lessons learned during that catastrophe,” said Rebecca “Becky” Rouse, an associate professor of practice and associate director of emergency and security studies at Tulane University’s School of Professional Advancement, in a statement.

More Warehouses

Before Fiona struck the island, “FEMA reportedly maintained multiple (versus a single) warehouses for supplies and exponentially greater stocks of food, water and power generators and deployed hundreds of specially trained FEMA responders,” she noted.

“Such preparations should certainly improve responders,’ and residents’ capacity to ‘ bounce back’ after need assessments are complete post-Fiona, yet early damage reports indicate many of the same failures in power supply, transportation assets, supply chain reliability and resource distribution experienced after Maria is occurring during the recovery from Fiona,” Rouse observed.

Pursue Resilience

“Perhaps the most significant lesson from Hurricanes Maria and Fiona—much like that extracted from most disasters in the U.S.—is that resilience can be pursued and achieved at the smallest or most complex levels. The success and survival of each part improve the strength and adaptability of the whole,” she concluded.

Edward Segal is a crisis management expert, consultant and the bestselling author of the award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (Nicholas Brealey). Click here to Order the book.

Segal is a Leadership Strategy Senior Contributor for Forbes.com where he covers crisis-related news, topics and issues. Click here to read his recent articles.

Corporate Succession Lessons From The Death Of Queen Elizabeth II

Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Bestselling Author of the Award-Winning Book “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies” (Nicholas Brealey)

The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the immediate succession of her son Charles provide timely lessons from the British monarchy about leadership transition for companies, organizations and corporate leaders.

The Queen’s death at age 96 is another reminder for business executives to have succession plans in place and ensure those plans are updated on a regular basis as needed.

Leadership transitions—whether they are planned or unexpected—can create a crisis for any organization if they are not handled strategically, effectively, and efficiently.

‘A Watershed Moment’

“The death of Queen Elizabeth II, which Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday, is a watershed moment for Britain, at once incomparable and incalculable,” the New York Times reported.

“It marks both the loss of a revered monarch—the only one most Britons have ever known—and the end of a figure who served as a living link to the glories of World War II Britain, presided over its fitful adjustment to a post-colonial, post-imperial era and saw it through its bitter divorce from the European Union,” the paper observed.

Succession Lessons

Plan For The Inevitable

“King Charles has been planning his entire life to take the throne. He has planned and replanned again and again,” retired U.S. Navy Captain Barbara Bell said via email. Bell is a leadership professor at Vanderbilt University and author of Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence and Learning to Fly High.

“There is a lesson in that. A succession plan must be a living, breathing entity. We must observe, prepare, and refresh our plans for the next leader to take over. And as CEO, we must be a willing and active participants in our own succession planning. Where is the company now, where is it going or should be going and what type of leader is needed for the future?

“In the Navy, it was always that way for me. While in command, I led and planned for the next commander to take over after me,” Bell recalled.

The monarchy’s succession plan “is codified in efficiency and dictated by centuries of history and traditions,” David Braun, founder and CEO of Capstone Strategic, a mergers and acquisitions strategic consulting firm, said in a statement.

“While companies need not have a minute-by-minute plan, they can learn the power of having ‘the next in line’ ready to go, followed by precision in their announcements and actions. Detailed plans that can be implemented quickly make a big difference in how companies are perceived and how they keep their business moving forward,” Braun advised.

Provide For Smooth Leadership Transitions

“Charles had already been taking on some of the Queen’s engagements this year as her health had become enough of a concern for her to cancel some of her commitments, including the State Opening of Parliament,” CNN reported.

“Both Charles and Prince William had been prioritizing the Queen’s diary over theirs. Both of them had been activated as Counsellors of State, where the Queen delegates her sovereign power for specific purposes, and they were obligated to be even more available for those duties,” according to the cable news outlet.

“This is the greatest lesson for business —be ready and develop a strong bench so that you can act quickly and safeguard a smooth transition,” Amy Clark, chief human resources officer of the Better Business Bureau National Programs and founder of the Growth Minded Leadership group, said in a statement.

She pointed to two examples in the corporate world.

“As part of a long-planned leadership transition, WD-40 groomed Steve Brass to succeed Garry Ridge, who retired as their chief executive officer this week. This is a terrific example of a well-controlled, communicated, and deliberate plan to take the WD-40 into the future.

“Compare this with the emergency replacement plan that JP Morgan Chase had in place and effectively activated in response to Jamie Dimon recovering from a health scare in 2020.

“Two senior JP Morgan executives were prepared and ready to effectively manage the company with confidence until Dimon was ready to return as CEO,”‘ Clark noted.

Carefully Groom Your Future Leaders

Position potential successors as true leaders, not figureheads

Charles “was never positioned as a person who was a leader,” Catherine Rymsha, visiting management lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, said via email.

“The monarchy could have strategically managed his leadership brand preparing for this moment over time, yet failed to position him well in terms of strength or confidence. While he may have the skills and support needed to lead, even the headlines and hearsay over the years saying that the crown may skip him and go to Prince William showed there may be something lacking in his preparedness,” she remarked.

“While this may not be case due to related succession laws set forth by the monarchy, it does show how Prince William is seen as a leader more so than his now reigning father,” Rymsha concluded.

The monarchy no doubt had its plan for how this day would proceed for years. The plan was written, the successor was in place, and now “management” is ready to execute it.

Edward Segal is a crisis management expert, consultant and the bestselling author of the award-winning Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (Nicholas Brealey). Click here to Order the book.

Segal is a Leadership Strategy Senior Contributor for Forbes.com where he covers crisis-related news, topics and issues. Click here to read his recent articles.