Leading Through Crisis with Céline Williams

Celine Williams
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Monthly

Leading Through Crisis is the podcast for leaders who aren’t afraid to face the hard stuff head-on. Hosted by leadership and culture expert Céline Williams, each episode offers real, unfiltered conversations with business trailblazers, change-makers, and truth-tellers. From navigating uncertainty to building cultures that actually work for humans, Céline delves into the messy realities of leadership, while also offering practical tools you can use today to lead with more clarity, connection, and courage.

  1. 4d ago

    The Agony of Irrelevance: Losing Your Job and Finding Yourself Again with Rosi Bremec

    After 25 years in senior operational roles, most recently as a COO leading teams through growth and culture change, Rosi Bremec's career ended with a short conversation and a locked laptop. In this raw, honest conversation, Rosi returns to Leading Through Crisis to talk about what happens after the polished LinkedIn goodbye post: the silence, the identity loss, and the slow, unglamorous work of rebuilding a sense of self when the title, calendar, and sense of daily purpose disappear overnight.Rosi opens up about hitting rock bottom, the "agony of irrelevance," and why she finally decided to write publicly about job loss, redundancy, and executive burnout instead of hiding behind a professional facade. She also shares a perspective few leaders admit out loud: what it's like to have been the person delivering layoff news to others, and how experiencing job loss herself changed how she understands the impact of those conversations.This episode is for anyone navigating career transition, job loss, layoff, or an identity shift after leaving a leadership role. It's also for any leader who wants to understand what's really happening on the other side of the table when someone is let go.Listen in on my conversation with Rosi Bremec...—Rosi Bremec is a writer, speaker and operator whose work draws on more than two decades in senior operational and C-suite roles across technology, SaaS and iGaming. Her work explores what happens when business decisions become lived human experiences: the conversations leaders avoid, the responsibility quietly left with HR, the identities people build around work and the stories they carry when that work changes.Rosi's flagship keynote, The People Part Is Leadership: Confessions of an Operator, grew from her own reckoning with the distance between caring about people and remaining present for the consequences of leadership decisions. The essay behind its central idea reached more than 127,000 people on LinkedIn, entirely organically, and opened a wider conversation among HR and people leaders.She also writes The Agency Letters, a more personal body of work about identity, shame, agency and the meaning we make from what happens to us.You can learn more about Rosi and her work at rosibremec.com. Or connect with her on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rosibremec.

  2. Sep 11

    Black Swan Events (Leadership, Preparedness & Crisis Fiction) with Helen Hynson Vettori

    What does it take to lead when the unimaginable happens? In this episode of Leading Through Crisis, I talk with Helen Hynson Vettori – former paramedic, senior medical intelligence officer, and emergency manager who spent from 2005 until her retirement planning and preparing the federal government for biological threats, including pandemics (long before COVID-19 made its mark).Helen traces her unlikely path from a childhood fascination with first responders to working an active shooter scene as a paramedic, to a career in the Department of Defense's Protective Medicine Branch, to becoming the internationally award-winning author of the Black Swan thriller trilogy. We dig into what real leadership looks like in a crisis: why humility and honest communication matter more than authority, how ordinary people become leaders for themselves in moments of chaos, and why community – not individualism – is what actually gets people through disasters.The conversation also covers practical emergency preparedness and how Helen turned her professional frustrations into fiction.This episode is incredibly fascinating for leaders and readers alike; a must-listen for anyone drawn to entertaining stories with practical takeaways! —Helen Hynson Vettori was born in Washington, DC, and has always lived and worked in the National Capital Region. Her knowledge and experiences gained as an EMT / commended paramedic in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad and Employee of the Year emergency manager in the Department of Homeland Security enable her to write books with credible and thrilling Black Swan plots. A Black Swan event is a catastrophic incident that no one could have foreseen or imagined because of its unprecedented impact. The first two books in her Black Swan Trilogy Thriller Novel Series, Black Swan Impact and Black Swan Shock, won the speculative fiction category from the International Impact Book Awards in 2025 and 2026, respectively, and Black Swan Impact won the Publishers Weekly choice for its 2026 fiction category. Both may be found worldwide. The third novel, Black Swan Terror, is in the editing process. Vettori lives in Leesburg, VA, with her husband.Learn more about Helen and her books at helenhynsonvettori.com. Or connect with her on Instagram (@helenhvettori).

  3. Aug 13

    You Feel: The Two-Word Technique That Calms Any Crisis with Doug Noll

    Most leaders try to manage a crisis with logic; it rarely works. In this episode of Leading Through Crisis, host Céline Williams sits down with Doug Noll — a former trial lawyer, peacemaker, and author of De-Escalate — who spent over a decade teaching maximum-security inmates how to stop fights before they start. Doug breaks down the neuroscience of conflict: why 95% of the brain is emotional (not rational), why the prefrontal cortex shuts down under threat, and why leading through logic during a crisis is fighting biology itself.  He introduces a simple, research-backed technique called affect labeling (saying "you feel" and naming someone's emotion) that can calm a nervous system in under two minutes, whether you're in a boardroom, a family crisis, or a prison yard. Along the way, Doug shares one of the most powerful stories from his 10 years working in California and Connecticut prisons: a woman serving a 25-to-life sentence who used this exact skill to reconnect with the son she had relinquished 18 years earlier. If you're a business owner, executive, or leader who wants practical tools for leading through change, conflict, and crisis — not just theory — this conversation will change how you show up in every hard conversation you have next. — Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA, is a lawyer-turned-peacemaker. He is an award-winning author, teacher, trainer, and highly experienced mediator. Doug’s work carries him from international work to helping people resolve deep interpersonal and ideological conflicts. His training has included everything from teaching life inmates to be peacemakers and mediators in maximum-security prisons to training analysts at the Congressional Budget Office how to de-escalate members of Congress and staff. You can learn more at https://dougnoll.com. The special site with resources for our listeners, https://dougnoll.co/crisis, goes live August 17th. You can also connect with Doug on... LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougnoll/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DouglasNoll Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/douglasenoll/ Or subscribe to his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtAHXdBT1Y0Pl7SGrM_HcFw Doug's new book, Empathy Leadership, comes out at the beginning of September. Pre-order here: https://dougnoll.com/books/empathy-leadership

  4. Jul 9

    Stop Calling It DEI, Just Be a Good Leader with Stacey Gordon

    Leadership advisor and DEI expert Stacey Gordon returns to Leading Through Crisis to explain why diversity, equity, and inclusion should never be treated as a bolt-on "initiative," and why that mistake is exactly why so many companies have abandoned their DEI programs.  Stacey and host Céline Williams dig into why so many leaders struggle with flexibility and self-awareness, how communication breakdowns between managers and teams happen even when everyone has the best intentions, and why "inclusive leadership" is really just... good leadership.  They also unpack the biases quietly shaping hiring decisions, why leaders rarely get real feedback about how their teams actually experience them, and Stacey's free Leadership Reality Check quiz for anyone ready to find out the gap between how they think they lead and how their team sees them.  This conversation might just challenge how you think about communication, feedback, and what DEI actually means. — Stacey Gordon is a globally recognized keynote speaker, leadership advisor, and workplace culture strategist who helps organizations build inclusive, high-performing workplaces as they navigate today’s evolving legal, social, and business landscape.  As the founder of Rework Work, Stacey partners with executive leaders, people managers, and HR and legal teams to strengthen talent systems, leadership capability, and workplace culture— relying on a foundation of legally sound, people-first approaches. Her work focuses on debiasing systems, developing inclusive leadership behaviors, and creating cultures of fairness, belonging, and accountability that benefit everyone.  Stacey is a frequent keynote speaker at HR, talent, and leadership conferences worldwide and has served as an adjunct professor at several universities. She is also a trusted voice in the broader business conversation, having provided subject matter expertise to Harvard Business Review, SHRM, Fast Company, Forbes, NPR, and BBC Radio.  She is the author of UNBIAS, a widely used resource for leaders globally, and the creator of the unconscious bias course on LinkedIn Learning, which was the #1 most-watched course on the platform in 2021, has been translated into multiple languages and has reached nearly two million learners worldwide. You can learn more about Stacey and her work and grab the Leadership Reality Check assessment at reworkwork.com. You can also find her on Substack (https://reworkwork.substack.com/), LinkedIn (Linkedin.com/in/staceygordon), and Instagram (@ReworkWork).  See also CDO Action coalition at https://cdoaction.com.

  5. Jun 26

    Altitude Humbles You: What Everest Taught Me About Leadership with Ketul Patel

    What does trekking 17,000 feet to Everest Base Camp have to do with leading a business or team in today’s world? As it turns out, quite a lot! In this episode, I sit down with Ketul Patel, a supply chain and business transformation expert and author of A Journey of Elevation, to unpack the leadership lessons forged on the trail to Everest Base Camp. Ketul shares how the mountain became a mirror for everything leaders face today: constant crisis, the illusion of control, and the pressure to keep moving when the path forward is anything but clear.  After 30+ years leading organizational transformations and working alongside CEOs and executives navigating relentless change, Ketul found that a 12-day trek through the Himalayas – complete with mudslides, altitude sickness, a failed Plan A, a failed Plan B, and a grueling 19-hour Jeep ride – taught him more about resilient leadership than any boardroom ever could. Whether you're leading a company through uncertainty, managing a team through change, or simply trying to figure out how to keep going when “the weather” won't cooperate, this conversation will challenge you to rethink what leadership really looks like under pressure. And, Ketul leaves listeners with a powerful challenge: find your own Basecamp moment. Because growth, clarity, and self-knowledge don't require a mountain. They just require the courage to step outside your comfort zone. Listen in! — With a master’s degree from the University of Houston, Ketul Patel has made a lasting impact as both a seasoned corporate leader and a Big Four supply chain consultant, transforming global supply chains across retail, wholesale, and manufacturing.  As the founder and president of OMIIA Consulting, he serves as a business turnaround specialist and COO for companies seeking profitable growth and striving to scale toward Fortune 500 performance.  Patel has authored multiple white papers and blogs on supply chain thought leadership and is a speaker at supply chain conferences, known for blending strategic insight with real-world pragmatic execution to drive sustainable business success.  His debut book, A Journey of Elevation: Lessons for Business Transformation from Everest Base Camp, was released in January 2026. Learn more about Ketul, or grab the book at omiiaconsulting.com/books or connect with him on LinkedIn.

  6. Jun 4

    Jump In — How a Fortune 50 Exec Leads People Through Crisis with Tracy Nolan

    What does it actually look like to lead people through a crisis — not just manage operations, but truly show up for the humans involved? In this episode of Leading Through Crisis, host Céline Williams sits down with Tracy Nolan, a Fortune 50 Senior Executive and global Board Leader with deep expertise in regulated industries, including healthcare and telecommunications. Tracy has led through it all: the closure of 27 retail stores as the last executive standing, being on a plane landing at Newark on the morning of 9/11 while working for Verizon, and managing 14,000 Sprint employees through both COVID-19 and a simultaneous merger with T-Mobile. Her philosophy? Jump in (beyond the operational checklist, beyond what the job description says), and treat your people the way you'd want to be treated. In this conversation, Tracy shares: - Why most leaders fail at crisis communication (and what to do instead) - How she ran "no-canned-questions" listening sessions that changed the way her teams trusted her - The "CEO for a day" roundtable method she uses to stay connected to frontline reality - Why feedback is a gift, regardless of your title - A powerful trust exercise every leader should do with their team today If you're a leader, executive, or manager who wants to build an organization that can not only survive a crisis but thrive through one, this episode is essential listening. — Tracy Nolan is a Fortune 50 senior executive and global board leader with deep experience in regulated industries, including healthcare and telecommunications. She has overseen $6B+ in P&L's, led multi-billion dollar revenue transformations, and delivered sustainable value through M&A integrations, operating models redesigns, and risk-managed expansion.  Tracy currently serves as Senior Vice President, where she leads the Insurance sales organization and distribution strategy. Tracy has recently been named to the 50/50 Women to Watch for Boards list and serves as the Board Secretary for Dress for Success Worldwide. She is an advocate dedicated to "Inspiring Leaders to Lift while they Climb." Connect with Tracy: tracynolan.com | LinkedIn: Tracy E. Nolan

  7. May 19

    What Bees Know That We Don't: Leadership Lessons from Inside the Hive with Philip Atkinson

    The most surprising leadership insights may not be found where you'd expect… In this episode, Céline sits down with Philip Atkinson, an organizational coach and beekeeper who has spent his career helping leaders around the world become better humans with better skills. Philip is also the author of Bee Wise: 12 Leadership Lessons from a Busy Beehive, a beautifully written book structured across the four seasons, blending the science of bees with the very human challenges of leading an organization. Philip and Céline explore why leadership is still so often rooted in command-and-control thinking – a model built for industrial-era machines, not the living, breathing organizations of today. They dig into what it really means to lead without having all the answers, why "busy" has become a dangerous badge of honor, and how slowing down to sense your environment (the way a beekeeper reads a hive before lifting the lid) can change the quality of every conversation and decision you make. They also get into the often-broken world of feedback: why so many leaders give it wrong, why the simple question "is now a good time?" is a game-changer, and how the bees' famous waggle dance is actually a masterclass in clear, consistent, repeated communication inside a noisy system.  If you're navigating constant change, holding your team together, and trying to lead well without pretending you have all the answers, this conversation is for you. Philip's message is simple and grounding: everyone deserves to be led well, and being a good leader starts with being a good human. Bee Wise is available wherever you purchase books, with all proceeds going to Bees for Development, a charity supporting families in developing countries through sustainable beekeeping businesses. Learn more at beewisebook.com. Connect with Philip on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/philipatkinsonhivelogic.

  8. Apr 16

    Cultivating Deeper Connections at Work: Community-Building Strategies to Address Loneliness with Charles Vogl

    In this episode of Leading Through Crisis, Céline Williams sits down with Charles Vogl—leadership advisor, speaker, and author of The Art of Community—to challenge what we think we know about connection, adaptability, and resilience. Together, they explore: - Why most “team building” and networking fails - The difference between connection vs. proximity - How leaders can create real community (not just groups) - Why resilience is NOT an individual skill - The hidden mental health and loneliness crisis impacting organizations - The concept of “campfire experiences” and how they transform teams - Why phones, distractions, and forced fun are quietly destroying connection Charles shares powerful insights from his work with organizations like Airbnb, Google, and the U.S. Army, revealing why strong relationships, not individual performance, are the foundation of leadership in high-stakes environments. They also debunk some common assumptions and biases around connection events, like: - People need to be entertained all the time - It should look good in a photograph - We can be fully present with the people in the room, with our phones and devices onIf you're a leader trying to cultivate deeper connections at work and build community and resilience on your team, this conversation is for you! --- Charles Vogl is an adviser, speaker, and the author of three books, including the international bestseller The Art of Community. He has worked with Google in several capacities, including as a trusted thought leader for the Google School for Leaders, which develops over 20,000 Google managers. His work is used to advise and develop leadership and programs worldwide within organizations, including Airbnb, LinkedIn, Twitch, Amazon, ServiceNow, Dow Inc. and the US Army. Charles holds an M.Div. from Yale, where he studied spiritual traditions, ethics, and business as a Jesse Ball duPont Foundation scholar. To learn more about his work, download free community-building resources, and grab copies of his books, head to charlesvogl.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram (@charlesvogl).

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5
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Leading Through Crisis is the podcast for leaders who aren’t afraid to face the hard stuff head-on. Hosted by leadership and culture expert Céline Williams, each episode offers real, unfiltered conversations with business trailblazers, change-makers, and truth-tellers. From navigating uncertainty to building cultures that actually work for humans, Céline delves into the messy realities of leadership, while also offering practical tools you can use today to lead with more clarity, connection, and courage.

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