Leading Through Crisis: Essential Capabilities for Resilient Leadership

Crisis leadership is not defined by grand gestures or single moments - it is proven through sustained courage, clarity, and adaptability over weeks, months, and even years. In my tenure as Director of Corporate Affairs at an NHS Trust, I had the privilege - and the challenge - of leading through both the COVID-19 pandemic and significant regulatory scrutiny. These were defining times: they demanded far more than technical skill or determination, calling on emotional intelligence, resilience, and the courage to foster hope even amid uncertainty.

Defining a Crisis

A crisis, in the context of organisational leadership, is not just a momentary disruption but a period of intense challenge that threatens to destabilise daily operations, reputation, or even the core mission of an organisation. It may arise from external shocks - such as economic destabilisation, regulatory investigations, or severe reputational risk - or from internal failures, system breakdowns, or critical incidents affecting staff well-being and public trust. What defines a true crisis isn’t just the severity of the event, but the rapid escalation, uncertainty, and pressure it imposes on leaders to act with speed, clarity, and composure, often in an environment where the usual rules no longer apply and the consequences of every decision are magnified.

What True Crisis Leadership Demands

Drawing on my personal experiences as well as those of my clients, several non-negotiable capabilities emerge for leaders navigating crisis:

1. Composure Under Pressure

In crisis, when uncertainty and anxiety ripple through an organisation, leaders set the tone. Maintaining composure communicates stability, earning the trust and confidence of teams, stakeholders, and partners. For me, this meant staying mission-focused on patient, public, and staff safety, even when confronted by overwhelming and shifting demands.

2. Authentic, Transparent Communication

During a crisis, misinformation can erode trust exceptionally quickly. It is therefore essential to prioritise regular, transparent communication - sharing facts, acknowledging unknowns, and always listening. This strengthens relationships with regulators, staff, and partner organisations, building a shared sense of purpose and maintaining trust.

3. Decisiveness, Balanced with Compassion

There are times during organisational turmoil when no answer feels perfect, and the consequences of every choice weigh heavily on both individuals and teams. In these moments, effective leaders do not delay; they make evidence-based decisions with the best information available - balancing rigour, empathy, and the human impact of each action.

4. Embodying Accountability and Integrity

Crisis management and organisational turnaround inevitably require not only process overhaul, but also a cultural reset. Pivotal to successful and sustained improvements is the establishment – and embedding – of robust and workable governance and assurance frameworks that promote openness, responsibility, and a restorative approach to learning from failure - not blame. Leaders must ensure that these values become the company’s anchor as the intense levels of scrutiny – both internal and external – are navigated.

5. Championing Equity and Psychological Safety

Crises reveal, and often deepen, inequities, because existing structural gaps - whether in access to information, resources, support, or decision-making - invariably become more exposed under pressure, disproportionately impacting those who are already most vulnerable or marginalised within the organisation.

Leaders must be cognisant of this challenge and work proactively to ensure all voices are heard, considered, and then acted upon. Inclusive leadership is not a luxury in a crisis - it is a duty. Leaders must create space for staff to speak up, raise concerns, and share ideas without fear.

6. Resilience: Leading Self to Lead Others

During a crisis, exhaustion, grief, and burnout are always present as operational risks and must be proactively managed to maximise individual and team resilience – if not, sickness and attrition increase, and engagement deteriorates – significantly impacting the company’s ability to successfully weather the storm.

Leaders need to learn to model resilience — acknowledging hardship, recognising limits, and prioritising self-care for themselves and those they lead. “You cannot pour from an empty cup”—this proverb has become my mantra, as I have both witnessed and experienced firsthand the impact of burnout on team morale, performance and operational delivery.

Burnout, Resilience, and the Critical Role of Coaching

Research, including the most recent Gallup publication and Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report (2025), is unequivocal: sustained crisis accelerates burnout and disengagement, threatening performance and retention at every level. But it also provides an opportunity - done well, crisis leadership can build profound individual and collective resilience.

This is where coaching is invaluable. As both a recipient and provider of coaching during times of turbulence, I have seen its unique ability to:

• Offer a confidential, non-judgmental space for leaders to process complexity, fear, and uncertainty.

• Foster self-awareness, authentic reflection, and renewal of personal purpose.

• Enable the reframing of challenges as learning and growth opportunities.

• Build adaptive coping strategies and promote sustainable high performance.

In my coaching sessions with leaders, I constantly witness breakthroughs: leaders regaining equilibrium, discovering fresh ways to inspire their teams, and turning adversity into a catalyst for cultural and operational improvement.

Final Thoughts

There is no substitute for experience in crisis, but every leader can prepare and strengthen their crisis capabilities. My coaching practice exists to support those on the front line of change - helping leaders, Boards, and their teams emerge from turbulent times stronger, wiser, and more resilient. 

“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” — Simon Sinek

If your organisation needs to build the capabilities to lead through crisis - or wishes to support your leadership team with expert, confidential coaching - please get in touch. Let’s ensure your leaders not only weather the storm, but set a course for thriving beyond it.