This video explores the complex nature of managing a crisis at work. Maybe there’s a catastrophe, but maybe it’s a smaller event that has emotionally impacted many employees. Both are crises.

I spoke with John Robertson who wrote Run Toward the Roar and advises on crisis preparation and response. The name of his book is derived from the behavior of lions where the older ones position themselves on one side of the prey and roar, while the younger ones wait on the other side for the prey once they have been spooked. We tend to behave similarly during a crisis – we tend to run from ‘noise’ resulting in even greater chaos. Instead, John advises the following:

🌪️ A crisis is rarely the event itself like the flood or storm, but rather the impact it has on individuals and organizations.

💔 Consider the impact of unexpected and less dramatic events like the loss of a beloved employee.

👂 When facing a crisis, it’s crucial to listen to the stories of those affected. We all love to hear stories of someone who has come through a crisis, but what about when they’re still in the middle of it?

🙂 One of the first steps in managing a crisis is normalizing reactions.

I had never thought about the small events as crisis before, but I won’t forget now. Check out this video!

Find John at or www.thehrhub.ca for HR consulting in Western Canada.