The Leading in a Crisis Podcast

Tom
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Interviews, stories and lessons learned from experienced crisis leaders. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.  Being an effective leader in a corporate or public crisis situation requires knowledge, tenacity, and influencing skills. Unfortunately, most of us don't get much training or real experience dealing with crisis situations. On this podcast, we will talk with people who have lived through major crisis events and we will tap their experience and stories from the front lines of crisis management. Your host, Tom Mueller, is a veteran crisis manager and trainer with more than 30 years in the corporate communications and crisis fields. Tom currently works as an executive coach and crisis trainer with WPNT Communications, and as a contract public information officer and trainer through his personal company, Tom Mueller Communications LLC. Your co-host, Marc Mullen, has over 20 years of experience as a communication strategist. He provides subject matter expertise in a number of communication specializations, including crisis communication plan development, response and recovery communications, emergency notifications and communications, organizational reviews, and after-action reports. He blogs at Blog | Marc Mullen Our goal is to help you  grow your knowledge and awareness so you can be better prepared to lead should a major crisis threaten your organization.Music credit: Special thanks to Nick Longoria from  Austin, Texas for creating the theme music for the podcast.

  1. 2D AGO

    EP70 How Crisis Leadership Shaped A Black Swan Sci-Fi Trilogy

    Send a text Sirens fade, but the lessons shouldn’t. On this episode, we sit down with Helen Hynson Vettori—former paramedic, federal emergency planner, and now the mind behind the Black Swan thriller series—to explore how real-world crises become page-turning stories that sharpen leadership and preparedness. From street-side triage to cross-agency strategy, Helen shows why decisive action at the edge must pair with deep collaboration at the center if you want a response that actually works. We trace the arc from 9/11 urgency to the drift that follows when memories dim and budgets tighten. Helen opens up about the early months of COVID, the confusion that took root, and how she used fiction to forecast outcomes and make hard truths easier to face. Her writing moves the action forward while sneaking in the operational details that matter: clear communication channels, roles that don’t overlap, and the humility to adjust when Murphy’s Law shows up. Then we shift ground—literally—to the New Madrid Seismic Zone in Missouri and the research behind Black Swan Shock, where centuries-old eyewitness reports meet modern vulnerabilities in the St. Louis region. Find Helen's novels on Amazon here or on her website: https://www.helenhynsonvettori.com/ We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    36 min

  2. JAN 21

    EP69 Dealing with rage farming and manufactured outrage, with Phil Borremans

    Send a text Outrage online isn’t always organic—and when it’s engineered, it can hit hard. We sit down with crisis and risk consultant Phil Borremans to expose the mechanics of rage farming: coordinated attacks that use psychology, algorithms, and incentives to inflame audiences, distort brand updates, and turn a minor moment into a market-moving storm. From bots and fake accounts to “coordinated amplification,” Phil maps how bad actors build momentum, trigger engagement spikes, and push fringe narratives into mainstream feeds. We reference high-profile cases like Bud Light and Cracker Barrel to illustrate how synthetic engagement can drive real reputational and financial fallout. Most importantly, we outline a practical defense. Phil details how to retool monitoring from brand mentions to topic-centric early warning, detect anomalies and narrative evolution, and leverage predictive analytics and OSINT to identify viral liftoff before it peaks. We explain why engaging attackers usually backfires and how to focus instead on direct communication with stakeholders who matter—employees, customers, partners, and regulators.  Reach Phil and his excellent newsletter, Wag the Dog, at wagthedog.io. If this was useful, follow the show, share it with a colleague in comms or risk, and leave a quick review telling us what you want to hear next. We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    26 min

  3. JAN 13

    EP68 What the pros are saying about deepfakes, AI integration, and the trust deficit, with Phil Borremans

    Send a text In this episode, Philippe Borremans joins the podcast to explore key crisis preparedness and response strategies, including the growing challenges of deepfake videos, the widening trust deficit, and persistent capability gaps in the crisis comms field.  Phil shares key findings from his latest annual survey of over 100 crisis communications professionals — revealing results that are both surprising and, in some cases, annoyingly familiar. We discuss the future challenges of  AI and approaches to applying this new and rapidly evolving tool into the crisis comms mix. We also touch on short, fun ways to engage teams in micro-simulations to help reinforce your current crisis response plan. As always with Phil, the discussion dives deep fast, delivering practical insights and valuable takeaways for crisis comms practitioners.   Find Phil and his highly respected newsletter Wag the Dog at wagthedog.io. Find results and discussion of his crisis comms survey here. We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    33 min

  4. 11/16/2025

    EP67 Adding AI to your crisis strategy with Albie.ai

    Send a text Imagine walking into a crisis room with a complete first-draft playbook—roles, spans of control, holding lines, and a 48-hour plan—ready in minutes. That’s the promise we explore with Chris Hamilton and Peter Heneghan, veterans of 10 Downing Street, BP, and AstraZeneca, and now the co-founders of Albie.ai. Their take isn’t hype: it’s a grounded, human-first approach to using AI as a co-pilot that speeds up the work without sacrificing judgment, empathy, and trust. If you're a comms professional, you won't want to miss this very grounded discussion around incorporating AI into your resource mix. We talk about why AI in communications is different from past tech shifts. The web and social took years to mature; AI is arriving on top of mature infrastructure and accelerating everything at once. Chris and Peter argue that general-purpose tools like Copilot, Gemini, and Claude have a place, but comms teams also need domain-specific workflows that reflect how we plan, align, and respond—especially under pressure. They unpack their 20‑60‑20 method: set up with context and guardrails, let AI generate structured drafts fast, then apply rigorous human review to ensure accuracy, tone, and strategic fit. Whether you’re in corporate affairs, media relations, or issues management, you’ll leave with usable ideas to future-proof your function and keep humans at the helm. If this episode sparks ideas or pushback, we want to hear it—subscribe, share with your team, and send us your questions or experiences so we can build on them next time. Reach Chris Hamilton or Peter Heneghan at https://www.albie.ai/contact We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    44 min

  5. 11/09/2025

    EP66 Tools for preparing and leading in a crisis, with author Michele Ehrhart

    Send a text Crises don’t wait for perfect plans, which is why Michelle Ehrhart’s mantra—practice makes permanent—hits so hard. Michelle, former VP of global communications at FedEx and now CMO at the University of Memphis, joins us to share the field‑tested playbook behind her new book, Crisis Compass. Tom and Michele share stories from their experiences and dig into the habits that turn panic into poise: understanding operations, running rigorous tabletop drills, and being ready to respond when crisis strikes.  Michelle considers crisis comms a “muscle memory” skill that needs to be practiced over time. That means regular - and impactful - tabletop exercises that help your team maintain an edge and a readiness to engage when the phone rings at 2 a.m.  We also tackle the messenger problem. Not every executive belongs at the podium, and it is your job to protect credibility, not egos. Michelle and Tom discuss how to match the spokesperson to the moment—technical depth for complex updates, empathy for community harm, operational authority for corrective action—and why media training must happen before the cameras arrive. Then they parse “strategic silence”: when speaking fuels someone else’s story, and when going dark—like Volkswagen’s five‑day gap—looks like guilt. The rule of thumb: own your issue quickly with verified facts, next steps, and a specific time for updates. If you lead communications, manage risk, or simply want a sharper crisis response, you’ll leave with concrete tactics you can put into practice this week. Subscribe, share with a colleague who handles tough calls, and leave a review to tell us which tactic you’ll drill first. We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    30 min

  6. 11/06/2025

    EP65 Quick take - UPS plane crash in Louisville, KY, with guest Michele Ehrhart

    Send a text A deadly crash at UPS’s Louisville hub put crisis leadership under a microscope—and the first 24 hours told a powerful story about timing, empathy, and restraint. We invited Michele Ehrhart, former VP of Global Communications at FedEx and author of Crisis Compass, to unpack how the early communications played out in this heartbreaking incident.  We walk through the initial statements that landed within hours: awareness first, compassion next, and a clear handoff to the NTSB as the authority on cause and timeline. From there, we explore why “do no harm” is more than a slogan—it’s a filter that keeps leaders from filling silence with speculation. You’ll hear how family hotlines, verified safety guidance, and precise update cadence support trust when uncertainty is high, and why a CEO video isn’t an automatic lever on day one. Our guest, Michele Ehrhart is author of the new crisis guide book, Crisis Compass, available now. She is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at the University of Memphis, and also serves as CEO at Hart Communications, a reputation management firm.  We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    23 min

  7. 10/01/2025

    EP 64 The Mormon church attack - using press conferences to build trust, reassure communities

    Send a text The first words after a mass casualty event can steady a community—or shake it further. We break down the opening press conferences following the Grand Blanc, Michigan church attack to show how leaders earn trust when stakes are highest: the county supervisor’s grounded empathy, a police chief balancing hard facts with community care, a seasoned Michigan State Police PIO orchestrating structure and boundaries, and the FBI’s clear, confident roadmap for the investigation. We walk through the moments that mattered—why missing a PIO in the first briefing made the flow feel off, how a disciplined PIO in the second briefing controlled the room, and where sequencing can elevate impact. You’ll hear why many communicators lead with compassion before counts, how to frame heroism without drifting into speculation, and how to give the public actionable steps that convert anxiety into help: vigilance, verified tip lines, and reunification guidance. Along the way we spotlight crisp techniques like bridging, setting question parameters, and simplifying language under pressure, all while respecting investigative boundaries. We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    20 min

  8. 09/24/2025

    EP 63 Erica Kirk's Grace Under Fire

    Send a text Charlie Kirk built his reputation through campus debates, setting up tents where he'd engage students with his signature challenge: "prove me wrong." When a sniper's bullet ended his life at a Utah university, it threatened to become another flashpoint in America's increasingly volatile political landscape. Instead, something remarkable happened. Just days after her husband's murder, Erica Kirk stepped forward with composure, grace and forgiveness. And she demonstrated a level of inspiration and leadership that will help calm many souls, and lead many to Christ as well. The true revelation came at Charlie's memorial service, attended by numerous high-profile politicians and approximately 90,000 other mourners. While anger would have been understandable, Erica made the extraordinary declaration: "That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do." This singular act of moral courage transformed a moment of potential division into one of transcendent leadership. We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    14 min
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About

Interviews, stories and lessons learned from experienced crisis leaders. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.  Being an effective leader in a corporate or public crisis situation requires knowledge, tenacity, and influencing skills. Unfortunately, most of us don't get much training or real experience dealing with crisis situations. On this podcast, we will talk with people who have lived through major crisis events and we will tap their experience and stories from the front lines of crisis management. Your host, Tom Mueller, is a veteran crisis manager and trainer with more than 30 years in the corporate communications and crisis fields. Tom currently works as an executive coach and crisis trainer with WPNT Communications, and as a contract public information officer and trainer through his personal company, Tom Mueller Communications LLC. Your co-host, Marc Mullen, has over 20 years of experience as a communication strategist. He provides subject matter expertise in a number of communication specializations, including crisis communication plan development, response and recovery communications, emergency notifications and communications, organizational reviews, and after-action reports. He blogs at Blog | Marc Mullen Our goal is to help you  grow your knowledge and awareness so you can be better prepared to lead should a major crisis threaten your organization.Music credit: Special thanks to Nick Longoria from  Austin, Texas for creating the theme music for the podcast.

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