There is something that invites humility in watching a geopolitical situation unfold in real time. Not so much because the events themselves would be surprising — but because of the gap between what was visible and what was seen. Between what the signals were pointing to and what was concluded from them. It is worth…
ISO 22361, the international standard for crisis management published in 2022, makes something clear from the outset: in crisis, there is often no ideal solution. Decision-makers sometimes have to choose the least detrimental option. Every choice can come with a penalty of some kind. That acknowledgement — honest, understated — runs through the entire standard….
In times where uncertainty seems to be the one constant — a reflection drawn from years of working inside crisis cells. Crisis, at its core, is defined by two forces: uncertainty and time pressure. You do not know enough, and you do not have the luxury of waiting until you do. Everything that follows —…
Something I have had to explain more than once, and I understand why it creates confusion. Crisis management is sometimes approached like a toolbox. You open it, pick the principle that seems relevant, apply it, and move on. Need-to-know for information control. Isolation for focus. A decision framework when choices must be made. Each principle…
In crisis, information is sometimes overwhelming. Reports, opinions, updates, rumours arriving faster than anyone can process. Everything feels urgent. Everything seems to matter equally. And sometimes, it is the opposite. Information is painfully scarce. Fragments, gaps, silence. The team must navigate with almost nothing — a few facts, a few signals, and a great deal…
Something that has puzzled me for years — and that I keep seeing across very different organisations, in very different sectors. Many describe themselves as operating in volatile, uncertain environments. They accept that risk is part of the work. They speak of resilience, adaptability, initiative. And in many ways, this is true — they do…