14 August 2008

Tough Talk About Crisis Management

General Russel Honoré, who headed the U.S. military’s response to Hurricane Katrina, offers blunt advice on surviving organizational disaster

A GMJ Q&A with Lieutenant General Russel Honoré (retired), former commander of Joint Task Force – Katrina, who oversaw the military relief efforts after hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Few people know more about leadership in crisis than Lieutenant General Russel Honoré, who headed the U.S. military’s response to Hurricane Katrina. In this interview, he offers well-tested, blunt advice for executives facing a bad situation -- how to set priorities, talk to the media, and communicate within the organization -- that can keep a crisis from devolving into a disaster.

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Reader Comments
Kevin Sadaj on 8/19/2008 2:09:44 PM

The General's stance reminds me of another useful saying: Principles before personalities. Personalities can be useful if the exhibit themselves in ways that help in mission accomplishment.

Gregory Starr on 8/21/2008 12:25:37 AM

This is a collection of wisdom that no doubt has been tested and retested in the General's life. Frequently with crisis come hysteria and without decisive leadership disaster ensues. Give me an experience military man every time. They'll out perform a politician by multiples. Thank you General! Then there is the sensitivity to the team, avoiding the spoiler, keeping the mission as the unifying factor, details that could be overlooked by a lesser leader. Now, it is the initial part of the interview that really scares me. The point that the lack of preparation significantly inflamed this crisis. My personal concern is that lack of preparation is not limited to New Orleans. Throughout the country there are many potential disasters waiting to happen. I'll only mention the one that concerns me the most. Several years ago there was a particularly virulent strain of influenza in Taiwan, my daughter was visiting there so the incident is particularly vivid in my memory. I expected that that the United States might have discontinued flights from Taiwan. This possibility of course cause me some ambivalence. I think Canada did limit flights. If this strain was as virulent as they thought it might be. Let's say it might be like the epidemic of 1916, the losses could have been astronomical, and the interpretation of the losses would be that they we're unavoidable. May be I'm being too dramatic but I believe that the infrastructure of the United States has very protection against such crises ready to become disaster

Roland Kajca on 9/10/2008 5:43:35 AM

ALL I CAN SAY IS: Thanks Gallup for your existence! Thanks very lot!

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The Gallup Forum Dubai 2009 provides leaders with the opportunity to learn best practices and discuss the crucial issues that affect maximizing performance in their organizations. It also offers organizations the opportunity to benchmark their management practices against the world's best.

The Gallup Forum Dubai 2009 will take place January 28, 2009, at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai. To learn more about the event or to register, visit the Gallup Forum Dubai 2009 page on the Gallup Consulting Web site, or contact Mary Penner-Lovci (212.548.2940) or Amy White (609.279.2233).

For a complete schedule of learning opportunities, visit the Gallup Learning Events page.

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