In this coffee Q&A with Dr. Ian Mitroff, we talk about Systems Thinking as a core principle of preparedness in a complex, highly interconnected world. Dr. Mitroff is credited as one of the founders of the modern discipline of Proactive Crisis Management.

Each year has a story. During the holidays, I thought back about 2023, a cup of coffee in my hand and a golden pup at my feet. This blog is my take on the news and headlines of the last year, as well as any clues they might hold about risk and trust in 2024.

Helio Fred Garcia is a professor in the New York University’s Stern School of Business and Columbia University’s graduate school of engineering, head of a New York-based consulting firm, counsellor and author. In this Q&A, we chat about the power of patterns when stakes are high.

Christal P. Austin is a PR advisor, international speaker and Director (Ag.) of the Public Affairs Department in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Information in Barbados. In this Q&A, I am delighted to share Christal’s thoughts on disaster management.

Super-intelligent AI systems are here. It’s only human to feel like “deer in the headlights” attempting to pause or ban the unknown. In hindsight though, technology breakthroughs teach us that kicking the can comes with its own risk. Going faster on learning is a better option than slowing down on innovation.

Dr. Ian Mitroff and I first met after I read his book “Why some companies emerge stronger and better from a crisis: 7 essential lessons for surviving disaster.” Every time we have virtual coffee I take copious notes. I thought others might benefit from hearing Dr. Mitroff’s thoughts, too, and so came the idea of this Q&A.

If you want to build your career, break whatever ceilings are in your way and make a difference, no news is not good news. This blog has tips for spokespeople to advance their agenda, address media questions, and connect with the audience to build understanding and trust.

In the biggest headlines and twists of 2022, the lines between communication and (geo)politics blur. Trapped in this dynamic, I decided to face it head on in this humble take on where we, communicators, make a difference in a struggling world.

Most law firms deal with crises every day. Lawsuits. Court battles. Privacy breaches. But what if this happens to them? For organizations operating in crisis-ridden environments, a disaster is a matter of “when,” not “if.” This blog outlines seven steps law firms can take to boost preparedness for these “predictable surprises.”

When I learned about the Rogers outage on Friday, like many Canadians, I wondered what happened, and why it happened in the first place. There was not much in terms of answers.

Rogers’ outage response makes for a telling “how-not-to” crisis management case study other organizations can learn from as they consider steps to better resilience.

Three quarters of cyber crises are issues that are not dealt with on time. While this may sound shocking, there are signals one can watch out for warning an organization that potential trouble is on the horizon.

January is still a little bit like a clean canvass. It’s a wonderful feeling, when there’s so much potential, and a chance to create something valuable in the world. Holiday wishes still echo in the ears: “take what you need into the new year; leave what you don’t behind.” During the break, it seemed like a good idea to take stock. And here’s the result: my personal take at what struck a chord (and should enter the new year) or pinched a nerve (and should stay behind).

Hardly a week goes by without a massive hack hitting the headlines. This blog is about nine common mistakes organizations need to fix to keep their stakeholders safe.

In the second year of the pandemic, the old problem of an absent manager acquires a new urgency. Here are some idea starters on how organizations can rally their mid-level cadre to push through the fatigue of a long-haul crisis.

Our short memories are one of the biggest risks in crisis management. To safe-guard against it, the world should introduce a global Crisis Preparedness Day so we don’t forget the human cost of the mega crises like COVID-19 and remember the reasons why organizations and countries should commit to preparedness with the right resources, mindsets and best practices.

Blue Monday – allegedly the saddest day of the year – is upon us, and it may be hard to see light at the end of the tunnel. This blog offers insights into psychology to help leaders enable growth during trying times.

A medical catastrophe at its core, COVID-19 is triggering multiple secondary disasters, from a shock to national economies to layoffs to travel bans to mental health issues. Unsurprisingly, this global mega crisis has exposed stress points in our structures of preparedness.

Thanks to COVID-19, many organizations are now virtual teams working from home, and internal communication is more critical than ever. It’s also more difficult. This blog looks at some common employee challenges and how to handle them.

When Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos said: “We seek to be Earth’s most customer-centric company” two decades ago, it was a bold claim. Today, we’d be hard-pressed to find an organization that doesn’t put its customers first. The argument of this blog: to be customer-centric, organizations must become employee-centric first.

There should be a close relationship between Management and Boards of Directors, and that is particularly true during a crisis. Many organizations do not include, or even mention, their Board in their crisis plans. However, some are learning – often the hard way – that guidance and oversight matter the most when stakes are high.