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Crises aren’t rare anymore - from reputational scandals to supply chain chaos, the question isn’t if your organisation will face disruption, but how ready your leaders are when it hits.
Forget VUCA; BANI is the new acronym on the block: Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible. Translation? Plans break, anxiety spikes, and predictability is on permanent leave. HR’s role? Build leaders who can flex without snapping.
Think of it as a leadership survival kit:
Resilience & Emotional Intelligence – Bounce forward, not just back, with empathy as well as urgency.
Complex Problem-Solving – Fast, ethical decisions under pressure.
Collaborative Teaming – Assembling high performing teams at speed - because crises are team sports.
Engaging Communication – Using emotion as a leadership tool; steady hands, clear heads, and the right
dose of urgency to move people without fear.
Empathy & Trust – The quiet superpower that turns fear into focus and chaos into coordinated action.
Learning Mindset – Reflect, adapt, repeat.
By helping leaders to develop these qualities, you unlock the difference between compliance and commitment when the stakes are high.
You can’t develop crisis leadership capability from a webinar. Real capability comes from experiential learning - immersive simulations that mimic the chaos of real crises. These high-pressure scenarios test decision-making, communication, and teamwork in real time. It’s leadership with the safety net of feedback, building capability in a safe environment where it creates resilience, not headlines.
1. Start with Self-Awareness:
When the heat is on, leaders default to instinct. Psychometrics like Facet5 can reveal derailers and strengths under pressure. Combine this with 360 feedback and in-depth interviews to build a clear picture of how leaders “show up” in a crisis.
2. Simulate the Storm:
High-fidelity simulations replicate the emotional intensity of real crises. They solve the “training transfer” problem by letting leaders practice in context. Participants don’t just learn what they would do, they actually do it, with expert feedback.
3. Create a Culture of Agility:
Crisis-ready organisations don’t just rely on heroic individuals. They foster cultures where people feel safe to speak up, adapt quickly, and support one another. Psychological safety isn’t a buzzword; it’s your crisis insurance policy.
Our ‘Making It Real’ simulations replicate real crises, combining behavioural insight, team coaching and feedback from psychologists to turn pressure into lasting capability. For over a decade, we have partnered with a leading European transport provider to deliver a standout talent development programme, one that doesn't just teach leadership, but tests it under fire. Co-designed with health and safety experts and industry specialists, the simulation throws curveballs, disrupts plans, and demands rapid adaptation, just like a real crisis.
The results speak volumes:
100% said the experience gave them deeper insight into their leadership style
86% described it as one of the most powerful learning experiences of their career
83% applied their learning to immediately improve their performance at work
I love the phrase ‘change before you have to’, and it’s especially relevant when it comes to navigating crises. In this context it means proactively building leadership and organisational capability and resilience, now. Simulate it. Stress-test it. Make it real.
To find out more, download our latest eBook Leadership that Stands the Test of Crisis.
