Whether it is in the form of a natural disaster, an armed conflict, a stock market crash or a pandemic, a crisis is bound to happen, and often when we less expect it. Rather than be caught off guard, such as how other businesses were during the recent events, it is better to familiarise yourself with various scenarios and know the strategies on how to cope and survive them.
There are many resources on crisis management and leadership that can guide you on how to navigate through the crunch. You can get some insights from crisis management books, which are aplenty. Here are eight of them to start you off.
Crisis Management Leadership: Training to Survive the Critical Moment by Kenneth A Lipshy, MD FACS
Kenneth Lipshy, a surgical leader, put together in his book snippets of crisis leadership styles and advice from leadership professionals belonging in the fields of medicine, aviation, military, wilderness rescue, police and fire. He also shares about his experiences in his medical practice and learnings on human cognitive errors, their causes and how to prevent and mitigate them.
Cultural Competency for Emergency and Crisis Management: Concepts, Theories and Case Studies by Claire Connolly Knox and Brittany "Brie" Haupt
While disasters and tragedies happen in various parts of the world, responding to them should also consider culturally competent practices. The book highlights the need for an in-depth understanding of cultural competence for emergency preparedness. It also provides a guide, case studies and some exercises for individual and group discussion and assignments for crisis management.
Crisis Management: The Art of Success & Failure: 30 Case Studies in Business & Politics by Yunus D. Saleh
With 30 case studies compiled, Yunus Saleh’s book provides a tool to evaluate various scenarios and for readers to understand and learn how to tackle crises when they happen. The examples present fruitful and futile approaches in managing a crisis, where one can draw lessons from such events.
Crisis Managemen: How to develop a powerful program by Regina Phelps
Crises are inevitable. They can happen in various ways and different degrees. But even before they come knocking at your doorsteps, the crucial question is “what should I do?” The answers may be in the pages of this book as Regina Phelps step-by-step tips on how to develop a powerful crisis management program.
Crisis Management: Responding from the Heart by Kristin S. Harper, Brent G. Paterson, Eugene L. Zdziarski II
This manuscript provides a different angle on how to approach crisis management. Apart from drafting procedures in preparation for a crisis, responders can also learn to do the right thing. It infuses feelings into the whole process of crisis response by responding from the heart.
Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable by Steven Fink
Compiling some case studies and the things that happen behind them, the book provides scenarios, practical tips and advice on how to respond to a crisis, avoiding its drawbacks while traversing out of it. This has become a significant resource among small and medium businesses, governments, large companies, and educational institutions.
Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
By studying four US presidents namely, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson, Doris Kearns Goodwin presents their respective journeys in their public life. It shows how they dealt with their leadership positions despite the challenges and hardships they experienced. The book also gives insights on how these leaders battled their internal and external predicaments. It also provides a road map on leadership based on the stories of the four leaders.
Crisis Management: Resilience and Change by Sarah Kovoor-Misra
Mismanaging a crisis may cost companies and communities resources and lives. Sarah Kovoor-Misra uses her transformative crisis management framework as well as presents factors to successful crisis management like leadership, systems, communication and stakeholder perspective. It also incorporates the ethical, emotional, change and global facets of crisis communication. These allow companies or organisations undergoing a crisis to be resilient, proactive, adaptable and ethical.