Crisis-Ready Teams

Mary J. Waller is Senior Research Scholar at the College of Business at Colorado State University. Prior to completing her Ph.D., she worked in petroleum, aviation, and software development. She is the recipient of the 2024 Joseph A. McGrath Lifetime Achievement Award from the Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research (INGRoup).Seth Kaplan is Professor of Psychology at George Mason University. His research explores individual and team performance in high-reliability contexts.

"This book is a must read for any organization. Crises are a matter of 'when' not 'if' and the organizations that can survive and even thrive in crisis are those that are built and designed to recognize, respond and adapt quickly. The research is thorough and the examples drive home the critical need for preparation and planning for the inevitable."—Laura Blackmer, President, Dealer Sales, Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA, Inc. "Given this uncertain, turbulent world of ours it is not a question of 'if' your team is going to experience a crisis but 'when' it will happen. The good news, as Mary Waller and Seth Kaplan point out, is that we need not fall prey to such circumstances. They have discovered the magic differentiators of how teams can manage these crises effectively and they tell you how. So buy the book and guarantee that you will get a good night's sleep knowing that your team is prepped for whatever might come."—Deborah Ancona, Seley Distinguished Professor of Management, MIT Sloan School of Management "Crisis-Ready Teams is a must-read, important resource for executive leadership and crisis-response teams at organizations of all sizes and industries. The COVID pandemic taught us that no organization is immune to unplanned crises that evolve outside of our control. Dr. Waller and Dr. Kaplan expertly break down years of empirical research into a practical how-to reference guide for composing and training effective crisis-response teams. Crisis-Ready Teams offers a compelling, ethical argument for executive leadership to not only aspire to be crisis-prepared but to prioritize and mobilize crisis-response planning within their organizations now."—Julie Weber, Former Vice President and Chief People Officer, Southwest Airlines "Every organization desires to become crisis-ready, but not every organization takes the deliberate steps required to become ready for the unexpected. In these brilliant new studies, you'll learn the best—and worst—ways to prepare for the future. Waller and Kaplan do the heavy lifting for you by analyzing and synthesizing the latest, best research in the field."—Daniel M. Gade, PhD, Twice-Wounded Combat Veteran and Public Sector Executive Leader

• Introduction: Teams and Crises1. How Teams Respond to Rare, Catastrophic Events: An OverviewPart I: Setting the Tone for a Crisis Response2. Tone, Timing, and Patterns3. How Trauma Teams and Flight Crews Set the Tone4. How Seaport and MBA Crisis Teams Share Information and Avoid Solution FixationPart II: Adapting on the Fly5. To Adapt With Routines or Without Them?6. How Flight Crews and Nuclear Plant Crews Adapt During Crises7. How the NEADS Team Adapted to the Nonsensical on 9/11Part III: Finding the Balance8. Team Leaders & Tensions9. How Nuclear Plant Crews Balance Routine and Improvisation10. How Flight Crews Balance Planning and Acting11. How Mine Rescue Teams Go Slow to Go FastPart IV: Helping Teams Become Crisis-Ready12. Designing High-Performing Teams for Crises13. Training High-Performing Teams for Crises14. Enhancing Team Resilience for Crises15. The Ethics of Crisis Preparation