The Leading in a Crisis Podcast

Tom Mueller
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Management
  • Weekly

What really happens when a crisis hits an organization—and how technology is influencing decisions and reputation impacts.  Come hear what happened when experienced leaders were actually in the middle of a crisis—and capture the lessons before it happens to you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.   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. 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. #crisis #crisismanagement #crisiscomms #crisiscommunications #BusinessContinuity #LeadingThroughCrisis  #CrisisResponse #management #leadership

  1. 1d ago

    Stop leading everyone the same way - cognitive diversity in a crisis

    Send us Fan Mail A crisis doesn’t create communication problems, it exposes the ones you’ve been living with all along. Tom Mueller sits down with Jeremy Doran, a mechanical engineer turned leadership coach and the author of “Neuroconvergent Leadership,” to talk about what happens when different brains, different communication styles, and high-stakes pressure collide. We dig into why “embracing neurodiversity” only works when leaders stop assuming everyone wants the same kind of clarity. Some teammates need every step explained in order to feel confident; others shut down the moment instructions feel like micromanagement. Jeremy shares a simple but powerful approach: learn your own communication default, ask your people what works for them, and make those expectations explicit. That one shift can change how an engineering team, a cross-functional project group, or a crisis response unit moves from friction to momentum. We also get tactical about crisis leadership. When the building’s burning, you don’t have time to build consensus, but you still need a team that trusts you enough to act fast. Jeremy explains how stress pulls us toward fight-or-flight, why a brief breathing pause can bring your thinking back online, and how leaders can retrain a “bring me problems” culture into a “bring me solutions” culture without shutting people down. We even touch the divided political climate and how curiosity-driven questions can reduce defensiveness at work and at home. If you found this useful, subscribe, share the episode with a leader you respect, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What communication habit would make your team stronger this week? Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

  2. Oct 28

    NYPD detective shares his experiences from the 911 attacks and leading through chaos

    Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to lose trust in a crisis is to pretend you know what you do not know. We sit down with Sal Lifrieri, a retired NYPD detective and member of an elite hostage rescue team who later worked in New York City emergency management and intelligence operations. His stories and lessons from “Leading Through Chaos” cut through the usual slogans and get into the real mechanics of crisis leadership when the media, politics, and your own ego all show up at once.  We talk about the critical first press conference, why early “facts” are often wrong, and how strong crisis communication can be both honest and steady. Sal breaks down the tension leaders feel between public relations guidance, legal caution, and the pressure to say something right now. If you lead a company, government team, or nonprofit, you will recognize the moment where certainty is rewarded socially but punished operationally.  The conversation also goes deeper into the emotional intelligence side of crisis management. Sal shares how cumulative trauma reshapes first responders over time, why relationships and support systems matter, and how one simple question from a boss “How are you doing?” can change a career. We also explore bureaucracy, the West Nile virus response, the risk communication problem created by malathion spraying, and why scanning for secondary effects is a leadership skill, not an afterthought.  Sal's book is Leading Through Chaos and can be found at major booksellers. #crisiscommunications #leadership #policing #nypd #911stories #crisismanagement Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

  3. Oct 21

    Attacked by media, politicians, and activists: policing through civil unrest and disinformation

    Send us Fan Mail Minneapolis didn’t need another spark, but leadership rarely gets to choose the timing of the next crisis. We sit down with former Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara to unpack what it’s like to lead when unrest feels one headline away, when staffing is thin, and when the smallest incident can cascade into something much bigger. We get specific about crisis leadership and crisis communication: how to be honest about limited resources without sounding helpless, how to show up early and often so people know who is accountable, and how to separate facts from unknowns in a way that builds credibility. Brian also walks us through the realities of media relations under constant scrutiny, where speed pressures accuracy, narratives harden fast, and a single misstep can erase months of trust. From there, we zoom out to leadership lessons any executive can use: why presence is powerful, why listening matters when you come in as an outsider, and how the gap between expectations and reality becomes the breeding ground for frustration. Brian also reflects on the human cost of performative politics, the weight leaders carry after tragedy, and the challenge of maintaining resilience when work-life balance simply is not available. We close by returning to the ICE surge and the operational chaos of mass protests, emphasizing the balancing act of protecting lawful protest while preventing the one or two bad actors from tipping everything into destruction. If you found this helpful, subscribe for more conversations on crisis management and leadership under pressure, share the episode with someone who leads people in tough moments, and leave a review so others can find the show. #minneapolis #policing #crisismanagement #crisisleadership  Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

  4. Oct 21

    Minneapolis police under fire! Leadership lessons after the George Floyd riots

    Send us Fan Mail Minneapolis became a global symbol of crisis, and Brian O’Hara walked straight into it. Right after George Floyd, the city faced deep community mistrust, protests, and an intense spotlight on policing. At the same time, violence surged and officers left in huge numbers, turning the Minneapolis Police Department into an organization fighting for its own stability. We talk through what it actually feels like to take command when the mission is questioned, morale is broken, and every decision lands in the headlines. Brian shares why his Newark, New Jersey experience shaped his approach to police reform, community safety, and crisis leadership. We get specific about what he discovered once he was on the ground: the hidden costs of trauma inside an agency, the operational drift that shows up when urgency disappears, and the uncomfortable truth that people often say they want “change” while really wanting “progress” without loss. That insight reframes everything from internal culture to community expectations. Reach Brian O'Hara via his website at https://oharaleadership.com/ Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

  5. Oct 12

    Leading under pressure - lessons in leadership and humility, with Jeff Johnson

    Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we revisit our interview with Jeff Johnson, a longtime maritime leader and incident commander, and president of the Cook Inlet Tug and Barge Company. This episode originally aired in 2023. Jeff has sailed on tankers, worked across the United States and overseas, and shares with us his perspective on effective crisis leadership. We dig into the traits Jeff believes matter most for crisis leadership in shipping and beyond: relentless communication, real humility, and the flexibility to change course as conditions evolve. From unified command dynamics to the human side of leadership, Jeff explains why “checking your ego at the door” is more than a slogan, and how that mindset helps protect safety, build trust with impacted communities, and keep teams working as one. Then we get practical about the Incident Command System (ICS) and crisis communications. Jeff shares advice for new responders and communicators: use ICS habits in everyday operations, swap roles during exercises to find your best fit, and actually read the plans sitting on the shelf. We also unpack what makes a strong Public Information Officer (PIO): consistent data management, accurate reporting, and the patience to listen and stay for the full set of questions. Finally, Jeff outlines how global shipping changes incident planning, why strong partners matter, and how delegated authority and deputy leadership can speed approvals and prevent the endless revise-and-resubmit loop. #crisisleadership #leadership #crisiscomms #Alaska #CookInlettugandbarge Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    Leading under pressure - lessons in leadership and humility, with Jeff Johnson

  6. Oct 7

    EP93 Targeting the LLMs and AI - your website should feed the monster

    Send us Fan Mail You can’t rely on “I’ll believe it when I see it” anymore, and that single shift changes everything about crisis communication. When AI can generate convincing text, images, and video in minutes, your website stops being a nice-to-have and becomes a core piece of brand defense, public trust, and operational resilience. We sit down with Wes Towers, a digital marketing and website expert joining us from Melbourne, Australia to map out what’s changing and what still works. We talk about how AI-driven misinformation erodes credibility, why deepfakes raise the bar for proof, and how even ordinary business websites can become security liabilities. Wes explains the practical tradeoff between WordPress and other CMS platforms versus hard-coded sites, and why “less moving parts” can mean fewer vulnerabilities when threats accelerate. Then we get tactical about what to publish and how to structure it. We break down the trust signals that help real people and AI systems evaluate legitimacy: credentials, awards, recognizable client brands, reviews, and case studies that only you can tell. We also dig into crisis readiness, from the need for fast updates to why separate crisis websites can keep routine business functions running while stakeholders get the details they need. Along the way, we connect the dots between SEO and AI visibility, because the same clear, high-quality signals increasingly shape what large language models “know” about your organization. You can reach Wes at his company website: Uplift360.com.au #crisiscomms #crisiswebsites #crisiscommunications #crisisleadership #ai #crisismanagement Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    EP93 Targeting the LLMs and AI - your website should feed the monster

  7. Sep 30

    EP92 Persuasion that works: the power of storytelling with Josh Bandoch

    Send us Fan Mail Your smartest plan can still fail if people don’t feel seen first. We sit down with persuasion expert and author Josh Bandoch to unpack what actually moves human beings to action, especially when emotions are running hot and the pressure is real. If you lead teams, handle crisis management, or communicate for a living, this conversation connects the dots between neuroscience, psychology, and practical leadership communication. We get into why great persuaders lead with emotional intelligence and why negativity bias makes fear and criticism “stick” more than reassurance. Josh explains the fastest way to lose trust in a crisis: telling people they shouldn’t feel what they feel, or ordering them to calm down. Instead, we talk through how to name emotions clearly, build common ground, and then pivot to a credible plan that keeps talented people from checking out or jumping ship. We also dig into persuasive storytelling, including what makes a story memorable and motivating, plus what Josh learned preparing his TEDx talk on how to be more persuasive. To close, we apply these ideas to election season and the line between persuasion and manipulation, with a simple filter for listening to candidates: do they feel authentic, and are they inviting shared action or trying to conquer the room? #crisiscommunications #crisiscomms #persuasion #crisismanagement #leadership #crisisleadership #storytelling If this helps you lead with more clarity and calm, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a quick review so more leaders can find it. Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

  8. Sep 24

    EP91 Stranded in Antarctica - a medevac crisis, reintegration blues

    Send us Fan Mail A doctor walks into the station leader’s office in Antarctica and asks a question no one wants to answer during a pandemic: “How would we evacuate someone right now?” With flights effectively off the table, scarce ships in the region, and weather as the ultimate gatekeeper, David Knoff faces a leadership test that turns crisis theory into cold, hard logistics. In Part 2 of our conversation with David Knoff, we talk through the Christmas Eve 2020 medevac that required international coordination from China, the USA, and Australia; runway construction, and contingency plans for everything from aircraft issues to overland rescue access. David breaks down what actually kept the team steady: a shared purpose everyone could understand, a deliberate decision to put key people on rest so they could peak when it mattered, and a practical approach he calls “delegating the worry.” Instead of one overwhelmed leader carrying every fear, clear roles and ownership turn anxiety into action. We also zoom out to the systems that make a response like this possible. David explains how monthly incident management drills create muscle memory, including training for secondary roles when the leader or doctor is off station. Then we shift to the human side: repatriation back to Australia after 18 months away, the culture shock of COVID-era airports and rules, and the quiet burnout that can hit when you’re finally “off duty” after a long stretch of responsibility. Along the way, we discuss David’s book 537 Days of Winter, why writing it was cathartic and unflinching, what he’s watching (yes, Alone), and how he’s researching his next leadership-focused book on operating in extreme environments. If you lead teams through uncertainty, you’ll leave with concrete lessons on crisis leadership, incident management, resilience, and recovery. Subscribe, share this with a leader who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Find David's book and connect with him via LinkedIn or his website, David.Knoff.com #crisismanagement #crisisleadership #crisiscomms #antarctica #resiliency #crisistraining #537daysofwinter Support the show We'd love to hear from you.  Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.

    EP91 Stranded in Antarctica - a medevac crisis, reintegration blues
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Ratings & Reviews

5
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6 Ratings

About

What really happens when a crisis hits an organization—and how technology is influencing decisions and reputation impacts.  Come hear what happened when experienced leaders were actually in the middle of a crisis—and capture the lessons before it happens to you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.   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. 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. #crisis #crisismanagement #crisiscomms #crisiscommunications #BusinessContinuity #LeadingThroughCrisis  #CrisisResponse #management #leadership

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Mueller
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Leading in a Crisis Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Leading in a Crisis Podcast

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