In this episode, we explore what it takes to lead effectively through crisis and why disruption is becoming faster, more complex, and more intense. We discuss why past experience alone isn’t enough when leaders face unfamiliar challenges, and why a practical crisis management system matters. We explore Henry J. Evans’s background in C-suite coaching and his business failure after 9/11, which shaped his approach to crisis leadership. Henry shares his framework for managing crisis, beginning with self-management and simple techniques like box breathing to help leaders stay calm and make better decisions under pressure. We also discuss the three phases of crisis, why decision-making should move to the lowest intelligent level within an organization, and why crisis plans should focus on the most critical actions. Finally, we explore simulations, scenario planning, pre-mortems, and the value of including pessimists to identify risks before they become problems.

Episode Highlights & Time Stamps

0:09 Crisis Leadership in a Faster World
1:08 What Counts as a Real Crisis
4:40 Henry’s Counterterrorism Background
7:09 Why Old Successes Stop Working
10:09 Lead Yourself First
15:04 Three Phases of Crisis
20:27 Decision-Making in Crisis
24:57 Building Trust Before Crisis
27:52 Stress-Test Your Team
29:42 Pre-Mortem Planning Works
31:04 Final Thoughts on Crisis Prep

Crisis Leadership in a Faster, More Disruptive World

Crisis is no longer something leaders can assume will happen once every few years. The pace and intensity of disruption are increasing, making it more important than ever for leaders to develop a system for navigating uncertainty, rather than simply relying on past experience or working harder.

In this episode of Growth Think Tank, Gene Hammett sits down with Henry J. Evans, author of Bombs, Bacon, and Bankruptcy: The Art of Crisis Leadership, to explore what it really takes to lead when circumstances change rapidly and the stakes are high.

Henry brings a unique perspective to crisis leadership. He has accumulated more than 16,000 hours of C-suite coaching, facilitated approximately 6,000 hours of strategic planning sessions for multinational organizations, and spent 22 years working with national security threats, primarily in counterterrorism. He also experienced a major business failure following 9/11, an experience that became an important part of his understanding of crisis leadership.

Why Past Experience Isn’t Enough

One of the central ideas in this conversation is that surviving a previous crisis doesn’t necessarily prepare you for the next one. Experience has value, but the increasing frequency and intensity of disruption means leaders need a repeatable system for responding to new challenges.

Henry explains that the leadership behaviors that work during normal times—prioritizing, delegating, and making decisions—can change dramatically during a crisis. Leaders need to be able to recognize the situation, establish priorities quickly, and adapt their decision-making approach.

Lead Yourself Before Leading Others

Crisis leadership begins with self-management.

Henry explains that a leader’s emotional state can influence the people around them. When leaders become overwhelmed or reactive, that behavior can spread throughout the organization.

One of the practical tools he discusses is box breathing, a technique involving four-second intervals of inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holding again. The goal is to interrupt the immediate stress response and create space for more objective thinking.

The broader principle is learning to respond rather than react. Leaders can practice creating a pause between what happens and how they choose to respond.

The Three Phases of Crisis

Henry describes three phases that leaders should recognize:

1. Incubating
A potential threat exists, but it hasn’t become an immediate problem. This is the opportunity to identify risks and consider what could happen.

2. Emerging
The threat is beginning to materialize. Leaders now have enough information to recognize that a plan may be necessary.

3. Acute
The crisis is directly affecting the organization and requires immediate action.

Understanding which phase you’re in can help determine how aggressively you need to respond. The goal is to recognize emerging threats early enough that you aren’t forced to develop a plan while the crisis is already unfolding.

Decision-Making During Crisis

One of the most important leadership shifts during a crisis involves decision-making authority.

Henry argues that leaders should be willing to move decision-making to the lowest intelligent level of the organization. The CEO doesn’t necessarily have the expertise required for every aspect of a crisis. Instead, leaders should identify the people with the most relevant expertise and empower them to make decisions within their area.

This doesn’t mean abandoning leadership or accountability. It means using the expertise that already exists within the organization and allowing the right people to lead the right problems.

Focus on the Few Actions That Matter Most

Crisis management also requires a different approach to prioritization.

Instead of attempting to execute a long strategic plan, leaders need to identify the three or four most important actions that must happen immediately. The objective is to create momentum and move the organization faster than the crisis itself.

This requires clarity, decisiveness, and the ability to focus limited resources on the actions that will have the greatest immediate impact.

Build Crisis Resilience Before the Crisis

Effective crisis leadership isn’t something that should begin when the crisis arrives.

Henry recommends practicing crisis leadership skills during normal operating conditions. Leaders can test people’s abilities, give team members opportunities to lead, and learn how individuals perform under different circumstances.

A particularly useful insight is that someone’s performance during normal conditions may not predict how they will perform during a crisis. A high performer may struggle under pressure, while someone who appears average during normal circumstances may become an exceptional crisis leader.

Stress-Test Your Leadership Team

One way to prepare is through crisis simulations.

Henry describes simulations in which leadership teams are presented with an unexpected scenario and given a limited amount of time to determine what they would do. The exercise is then debriefed to identify gaps in decision-making, communication, leadership, and preparedness.

These simulations allow teams to discover weaknesses before a real crisis exposes them.

The Power of a Pre-Mortem

Another powerful preparation tool discussed in the episode is the pre-mortem: asking, Why could this fail?

Henry shares an important lesson from his own experience as a CEO. Earlier in his career, he tended to avoid people with pessimistic or negative perspectives. Over time, he recognized that these individuals could identify risks and obstacles that highly optimistic leaders might overlook.

Rather than dismissing pessimistic perspectives, leaders can intentionally include people who are naturally good at identifying what could go wrong.

Their role isn’t necessarily to develop the solution. Their strength may be recognizing the problem before everyone else sees it.

Key Takeaways

• Past crisis experience is valuable, but it isn’t enough by itself.
• Leaders need a repeatable system for managing disruption.
• Self-management is the starting point of effective crisis leadership.
• Learning to respond rather than react can improve decision-making under pressure.
• Crises can be viewed through three phases: incubating, emerging, and acute.
• Decision-making should move toward the people with the most relevant expertise.
• Crisis teams should focus on the few actions that matter most.
• Leadership teams should practice crisis scenarios before a real crisis occurs.
• Pre-mortems can help organizations identify vulnerabilities before they become problems.
• Pessimistic perspectives can be valuable for identifying risks and blind spots.

Connect With Today’s Guest

Henry J. Evans is a C-suite coach, strategic planning facilitator, and author with extensive experience in crisis leadership and national security. He has accumulated more than 16,000 hours of C-suite coaching and approximately 6,000 hours facilitating strategic planning sessions for multinational organizations. He also spent 22 years working with national security threats, primarily in counterterrorism.

Henry’s perspective on crisis leadership is also shaped by personal experience. After building a successful company, his business experienced a significant decline in revenue following 9/11 and ultimately went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. That experience led to a new chapter in his career involving national security and counterterrorism work.

He is the author of Bombs, Bacon, and Bankruptcy: The Art of Crisis Leadership, a book focused on the principles and systems leaders can use to navigate crisis more effectively.

How to Connect with Henry J. Evans

LinkedIn: Henry J. Evans (LinkedIn)
Company Website: dynamicresults.com– to learn more about his work and platform
Get In Touch with Henry: henryjevans.com

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