The moment everything fell apart, the room went silent.
A dozen eyes locked onto me, searching for answers. The air felt thick with uncertainty, and for a second—a single breath—I felt the weight of it press down on my chest. This was it. The kind of moment that makes or breaks a leader.
Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’re there now. The situation is spiraling, and every instinct screams do something—anything. But what? How do you lead when the world feels like it’s crumbling around you?
Step One: Own the Moment
In the military, there’s an old saying: “Calm is contagious.” In a crisis, people don’t need a leader who panics. They need one who can stand firm, even when everything is burning—sometimes literally.
I learned this the hard way.
During what we’ll call an event, an operation went sideways—communications were down, a key team was out of position, and intel had changed faster than we could react. It was the kind of situation where bad decisions compound into catastrophe.
I had two choices: freeze or act.
So, I took a breath. Then another.
When the people around me saw I wasn’t flinching, they settled. Heartbeats slowed. Tension eased, just enough to think. I didn’t need to have all the answers. I just needed to own the moment and move forward.
And that’s the first rule of leadership in crisis: control yourself before you try to control the situation.
Step Two: Prioritize and Execute
Jocko Willink, a former Navy SEAL, put it best: “Relax, look around, make a call.”
I used to think leadership meant solving everything at once. But in chaos, that’s impossible. Instead, you prioritize the most urgent issue and execute.
That night, in the heat of the moment, our first problem was communication. Without it, we were fighting blind. Fixing it wouldn’t solve everything, but it would give us a fighting chance.
In the real world, I’ve seen the same principle apply.
A business suffers a cyberattack. Everything locks up. Customers are panicked. The team is looking at me, waiting for direction.
I don’t try to fix it all at once.
Step one: Contain the damage.
Step two: Restore operations.
Step three: Communicate clearly.
Simple. Effective. One problem at a time.
When disaster strikes, ask yourself: What’s the next critical move? Don’t get lost in the big picture. Solve what’s in front of you.
Step Three: Lead from the Front
In both the military and civilian crises, one truth remains: People follow actions, not titles.
Years after my military service, I was in a leadership role at a company when a major security breach hit. I could have sat back, delegated, and issued orders from a distance. But I didn’t.
I rolled up my sleeves and worked alongside my team. I made the tough calls, stood in the trenches with them, and took the hits when they came.
When leaders take responsibility—when they lean into the chaos rather than hide from it—people respond. They fight harder. They believe.
So ask yourself: Are you standing in the fire with your team, or watching from the sidelines?
Step Four: Communicate, Even When You Don’t Have All the Answers
In a crisis, silence is deadly. People assume the worst when they don’t hear from their leader. Even if you don’t have all the answers, say something.
- Here’s what we know.
- Here’s what we’re doing next.
- Here’s what I need from you.
Clarity breeds confidence. Confidence keeps people moving forward.
Step Five: Adapt and Improvise
No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. No business strategy survives its first major crisis. Leadership isn’t about having the perfect plan—it’s about adapting when the plan fails.
When things go sideways, the best leaders assess, adjust, and act. They don’t get stuck wishing things were different. They move forward with what they’ve got.
Final Thought: Leadership is a Choice
Leadership in chaos isn’t about rank, title, or experience. It’s about choice.
You choose to stay calm.
You choose to focus on one problem at a time instead of getting overwhelmed.
You choose to step forward when others hesitate.
When everything falls apart, leadership is what holds it all together.
And if you’re willing to make that choice, no crisis—military or civilian—will ever be too big for you to handle.
A great book recommendation based on this article is “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. The article aligns closely with the principles discussed in the book, particularly around taking responsibility, leading under pressure, and making clear, decisive moves in chaos. If you found the leadership philosophy in the article compelling, this book expands on those ideas with real-world military and business applications.
For a fiction recommendation with similar themes, “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card explores leadership under pressure, adaptability, and making tough calls when everything is on the line.
