It was 4 a.m. when my phone rang. The voice on the other end was panicked: a major disruption had hit our supply chain, threatening millions of dollars in revenue, not to mention not meeting the committed delivery dates for our biggest customer.  By the time I reached the office, the situation was spiraling. Executives demanded answers. Team members whispered worst-case scenarios. The air in the room was heavy with fear.

In that moment, I had two choices: absorb the panic and mirror it back, or become the calmest person in the room.

I chose calm. Not because I had all the answers – I didn’t. But because I knew that leadership in crisis isn’t just about solving problems. It’s also about setting the tone.

That day I learned something vital: in crisis, people don’t just need a strategy, they need stability. Calm is contagious. When a leader steadies themselves, they steady everyone else.

This principle extends far beyond corporate boardrooms. Advocates supporting survivors of domestic violence, law enforcement officers responding to emergencies, and nonprofit leaders serving communities in turmoil all face the same truth: the way you show up in crisis determines whether your team spirals or steadies.

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When leaders panic, they multiply fear. When leaders remain calm, they create stability.

Leading with calm in crisis does three essential things:

1. Establishes trust. People take cues from leaders. If you’re frantic, your team feels unsafe. If you’re steady, your team knows they can trust you to guide them.
2. Creates clarity. Calm leaders think more clearly and communicate more effectively. In crisis, clarity often matters more than speed.
3. Sustains resilience. Calm doesn’t mean ignoring the storm. It means serving as the anchor that helps others weather it.

Neuroscience explains this through the concept of emotional contagion: emotions are highly contagious, spreading rapidly within groups. When a leader demonstrates calm, it regulates the stress response of their entire team. This is true whether the team is navigating a market collapse, a community tragedy, or the aftermath of a high-stakes decision.

So how do you lead with calm in crisis? Here are five strategies you can begin practicing today:

1. Control your breath, control the room.

Crisis triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response. By slowing your breathing, you regulate your nervous system and model composure. When your team sees you steady, they begin to steady too.

2. Name the reality, not the panic.

Teams can handle truth better than uncertainty. Instead of amplifying fear, state the facts clearly: “Here’s what we know, here’s what we don’t, and here’s our next step.” This transforms chaos into direction.

3. Ask, then act.

Calm leadership doesn’t rush blindly into action. It creates space for listening. Ask your team what they see, then act decisively with their input. This not only improves outcomes but also reinforces trust.

4. Practice before the storm.

Resilience in crisis is built long before the crisis arrives. Daily practices, boundaries, reflection, exercise, rest, build the foundation of calm. Leaders who burn themselves out in “normal times” will crumble in emergencies.

5. Remember who’s watching.

As a leader, you’re always on stage in a crisis. Your team, clients, and community take cues from your presence. Your calm doesn’t just influence outcomes; it shapes culture. Choose to be the anchor!

In corporate life, calm in crisis might look like a CEO guiding a company through market volatility without resorting to fear-driven layoffs. In advocacy or law enforcement, it might look like a nonprofit leader keeping staff grounded after a traumatic case or an officer maintaining composure during a dangerous response.

Different contexts, same principle: calm leaders preserve trust and clarity when stakes are highest.

As we enter the final quarter of 2025, the world feels heavy. Economic uncertainty, social divisions, and personal pressures weigh on leaders everywhere. Employees carry this stress into the workplace. Communities carry it into every interaction.

This is why calm leadership matters now more than ever. Post-crisis leadership isn’t only about what you do in the storm, it’s about how you help your people recover after it. Leading with calm is the foundation of resilience both during and after crisis.

Crisis is inevitable. Don’t be surprised when it happens. What defines great leadership is not whether you can avoid storms but how you show up when they hit.

Calm leaders inspire trust. They protect clarity. They model resilience in a way that others can lean on.

Whether you’re an executive navigating market upheaval, an advocate supporting survivors, or a law enforcement leader guiding officers in danger, the truth is the same: leading with calm in crisis is the foundation of resilient leadership. The good news: the more you practice calm, the more it becomes second nature and when crisis hits, it will be there for you.

If this resonates, dive deeper in my book Iron Will. Subscribe to my blog to stay connected with practical strategies on resilience and leadership through adversity (Link in Bio).

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