A crsis is a defining moment for all leaders. The spotlight is on them. It is a time for the human element to shine through. It is a time when the head and the heart need to be fully engaged. The Institute for HeartMath shows that the heart has a brain and it is in constant 2-way communication with the (neurological) brain. It controls the decisions we make, so it's imporatnt for leaders to be fully engaged when leading in a crisis.

1. Appearances Do Matter:
Leadership in a Crisis
Jane Jordan-Meier
The Media Skills Academy

2. “Leadership is a potent
combination of strategy and
character. But if you must be
without one, be without the
strategy.”
Norman Schwarzkopf
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3. Head and Heart: the Key
• Fall in love with
“We”
• Emotional
Intelligence
• Compelling,
compassionate
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4. Roll Call
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4

5. Michael McCain
Leads the Way
“. . . Our best
efforts failed
and we are
deeply sorry.“
Maple Leaf Foods
President, in 2008 5

6. It’s not About the Money!
“Going through the crisis there
are two advisers I’ve paid no
attention to. The first are the
lawyers, and the second are the
accountants. It’s not about
money or legal liability; this is
about our being accountable for
providing consumers with safe
food …”
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7. Michael McCain: best practice
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8. Rudy Giuliani:
Mayor of the World
“Tomorrow New York is going
to be here. . . we're going to
rebuild and . . . be stronger than
we were before . . . I want the
people of New York to be an
example to the rest of the
country and the rest of the
world, that terrorism can't
stop us. . .” 8
New York City Mayor, 2001

9. Rudy Giuliani: Heart of the Matter
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10. “… we need to feel it …
nothing wrong with that”
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11. Being Human
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12. E.Q. in action
“Together, we will
survive …”
Bob Parker, Mayor,
Christchurch, NZ 12

13. 13

14. Why Some Leaders Shine
• Unconditional honesty from start
• “The number of casualties . . . will
be more than any of us can bear.”
• Excellent communication skills
• Perfect mix of shared grief and consuming
anger, à la Churchill
• Courage
• “It take guts …”
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15. And Others Shame
Obfuscation
• "The Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean . . . The
volume of oil . . . we are putting into it is tiny in
relation to the total water volume.“
Blame game
• "This was not our accident . . . This was not our
drilling rig . . . This was Transocean's rig, their
systems, their people, their equipment."
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16. SPLAT!
Rupert
Murdoch
“This is the most humble day of my life.”
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17. SPLAT!
Tony Hayward
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Tony Hayward.htm

18. Values are on Display
“… I'm smiling
because I'm
SPLAT! relieved no one
was hurt … the
crop was saved, …
people going to
be fed — the type
of smile when you
get a good report
card or achieve a
goal”
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19. What not to Wear
SPLAT!
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20. 20

21. Choices
21

22. More Choices
22

23. What to Wear: Some Rules
• Avoid wearing pronounced stripes, checks, or small
patterns, and anything shiny
• Grey, brown, blue, or mixed colored suits and dresses are
best
• Grey, light-blue, off-white, or pastel shirts or blouses are
best;
• Avoid button-down shirts (avoid visible buttons which
may flare)
• Neat jewelry or none at all, depending on the
circumstances
• Avoid having a haircut right before the interview
• If makeup is offered, use it, particularly if your interview
is in studio 23

24. Parting Thought
“Actions are the new words. We have a
responsibility to educate the enterprise
about how behaviors and actionsShaw, Home Depot
Brad play in
Arthur W. Page Society: Building Belief
an environment that is ultimately
transparent.”
Brad Shaw, Home Depot
Arthur W. Page 24
Page Society:
Building Belief

25. “I like to get to the heart of the matter,
To shake your closet and see what rattles.
I like to get to the heart of the matter,
Anything else would deceive to flatter.
Straight to the point, get to the crux,
I’ll start in the middle into which everything
looks.”
—Andrew Cottam
as quoted in the Four Highly Effective Stages of Crisis Management
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26. Jane Jane Jordan-Meier
Thank You! Do Connect!
www.themediaskillsacademy.com
@certifyingmedia @janejordanmeier
jane@themediaskillsacademy.com
The Four Highly Effective Stages of Crisis Management:
How to Manage the Media in the Digital Age
USA: +1-707-386-9864
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