Claim OwnershipThe Leading in a Crisis Podcast
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© 2025 The Leading in a Crisis Podcast
Description
Interviews, stories and lessons learned from experienced crisis leaders. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.
Being an effective leader in a corporate or public crisis situation requires knowledge, tenacity, and influencing skills. Unfortunately, most of us don't get much training or real experience dealing with crisis situations. On this podcast, we will talk with people who have lived through major crisis events and we will tap their experience and stories from the front lines of crisis management.
Your host, Tom Mueller, is a veteran crisis manager and trainer with more than 30 years in the corporate communications and crisis fields. Tom currently works as an executive coach and crisis trainer with WPNT Communications, and as a contract public information officer and trainer through his personal company, Tom Mueller Communications LLC.
Your co-host, Marc Mullen, has over 20 years of experience as a communication strategist. He provides subject matter expertise in a number of communication specializations, including crisis communication plan development, response and recovery communications, emergency notifications and communications, organizational reviews, and after-action reports. He blogs at Blog | Marc Mullen
Our goal is to help you grow your knowledge and awareness so you can be better prepared to lead should a major crisis threaten your organization.
Music credit: Special thanks to Nick Longoria from Austin, Texas for creating the theme music for the podcast.
64 Episodes
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Send us a text Charlie Kirk built his reputation through campus debates, setting up tents where he'd engage students with his signature challenge: "prove me wrong." When a sniper's bullet ended his life at a Utah university, it threatened to become another flashpoint in America's increasingly volatile political landscape. Instead, something remarkable happened. Just days after her husband's murder, Erica Kirk stepped forward with composure, grace and forgiveness. And she demonstrated a level...
Send us a text What does it take to lead through chaos? Tracy Nolan knows firsthand. This remarkable Fortune 100 executive has repeatedly stepped into roles most would consider overwhelming - from transforming struggling retail operations to merging telecom giants during a global pandemic. She also likes to solve puzzles. Tracy's journey from retail buyer to telecom executive to healthcare leader reveals a unique talent: she thrives in crisis. "Give me a job that needs transformation," she e...
Send us a text What happens when crisis hits your business and the only information people can find about you online is that negative event? In our conversation with communications expert Tiffany Muehlbauer, we dive deep into her innovative "Pool Theory" concept that's changing how organizations approach crisis preparation. The Pool Theory isn't about shouting louder when trouble arrives—it's about creating enough momentum in your brand presence beforehand that disruptions barely make waves....
Send us a text Behind every crisis response lies hidden patterns that determine success or failure. In this illuminating conversation, crisis communications expert Jeff Hahn pulls back the curtain on these patterns, sharing insights from his book "Breaking Bad News" and his decades of experience in the trenches of corporate crises. Drawing from his 15 years at Motorola handling everything from hazardous material spills to workplace violence, Hahn reveals how his fascination with crisis commu...
Send us a text When does crisis preparation cross the line into inauthentic communication? The recent Air India crash that claimed 270 lives sparked a fascinating controversy when their CEO's statement appeared virtually identical to American Airlines' earlier crisis statement. Crisis communications experts Tom Mueller, Mark Mullen, and guest Destin Singleton dive into this nuanced debate with different perspectives. Is this merely a "tempest in a teapot" where effective templates were repur...
Send us a text A wall of water 40 feet high. Spotty cell service. A holiday weekend. These factors converged to create one of the deadliest flooding disasters in Texas history this July 4th weekend, claiming over 100 lives along the Guadalupe River, many of them young campers at Christian summer camps with century-old traditions. We take you inside the communications response, examining how communications flowed during this complex, multi-agency effort in a race to save lives and reunite fam...
Send us a text When disaster strikes, every word matters. The recent Air India crash that claimed 270 lives has revealed a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at crisis communications - their CEO's statement was virtually identical to one previously delivered by American Airlines following their own tragic incident. This apparent copy-and-paste approach has ignited debate across social media, with critics creating side-by-side comparisons of both CEOs' delivery styles and questioning th...
Send us a text What does it take to prepare a community for disaster? In this revealing conversation with municipal crisis planning expert Alicia Johnson, we explore the critical differences between organizational readiness and community resilience—and why both are essential when disaster strikes. Drawing from her 20+ years of experience in emergency management, Alicia shares how her journey began with witnessing the Yellowstone fires as a child and evolved into a career dedicated to buildin...
Send us a text Leadership under pressure doesn't get much more intense than directing wildland firefighting operations when lives hang in the balance. Kelly Martin, former Chief of Fire and Aviation for Yosemite National Park, brings us into the heart-stopping moments where leadership decisions mean the difference between safety and catastrophe. Drawing from decades on fire lines, Martin recounts responding to devastating aircraft accidents that forced her to question whether she was cut out...
Send us a text When a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch in February 2011, crisis manager Brendan Winder faced the ultimate test of leadership. The devastation was immense - 185 lives lost, 8,000 properties abandoned, and a city center that would need to be completely reimagined. Brendan takes us behind the scenes of the emergency response, revealing the split-second decisions that saved lives and the fortuitous coincidences that bolstered their efforts. Australian police officers ...
Send us a text The rise of long-form interviews has created a new challenge for executives trying to balance authenticity with strategic messaging. Communications expert Janie Jordan joins us to unpack why these seemingly relaxed conversations can actually be the most difficult media format to navigate successfully. We also examine the rapid evolution of crisis communications through recent airline incidents, exploring how companies like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have establis...
Send us a text The media landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and crisis communications must evolve alongside it. Communications expert Janie Jordan joins us from Australia to explore how influencers and alternative media are reshaping political discourse and crisis management strategies. We dive into the Trump administration's controversial addition of influencers to White House press briefings and what it means for traditional media gatekeepers. As Janie observes, "We're at a dangerous...
Send us a text Join us for an engaging conversation with Katy O'Hara, a seasoned public information officer and firefighter, who shares her formidable experiences in crisis communications. With a background in both wildland firefighting and military service, Katie provides unique insights into the challenges faced in high-pressure situations. From her deployment in Afghanistan to her work on the Hermits Peak Fire, Katie opens up about the delicate balance between media demands and ethical res...
Send us a text Wildfires are not just a devastating force of nature; they are a crisis that tests the limits of communication and collaboration. In this episode, we engage with Katy O’Hara, a fire management specialist with a wealth of experience in crisis communication and public information. Katy sheds light on the challenges faced by public information officers during wildfire emergencies, especially in high-stakes situations like those we've witnessed in the Pacific Palisades, where urgen...
Send us a text Discover the critical role of the Family Liaison Officer in search and rescue operations with our guest, Moose Mutlow, a seasoned expert in the field. Moose sheds light on how this pivotal role serves as the communication lifeline between the incident commander and the families of missing persons, particularly in the challenging landscapes of Yosemite National Park. Through Moose's experience, learn how FLOs help navigate the emotional labyrinth of high-stress missions, ensurin...
Send us a text Discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing crisis communication management alongside our esteemed guest, Philippe Boremans. With his extensive experience in public relations, particularly in crisis and risk communication, Philippe unveils how AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping the landscape. He shares invaluable insights on leveraging these technologies for efficient content creation and crisis planning while stressing the importance of ethical considerations. Whe...
Send us a text Discover the secrets of crisis management on social media with our special guest, Destin Singleton, a seasoned corporate communications expert. Recognized as one of the top 20 business management podcasts in Texas, we're thrilled to bring you Destin's insights on effectively navigating localized incidents. From discussing the merits of creating temporary local social media channels to sharing strategies for engaging communities, this episode promises to equip you with the knowl...
Send us a text Destin Singleton joins us on the Leading in a Crisis podcast to unravel the complex dynamics of hosting high-profile figures at your organization. Imagine receiving a call from the White House with just 72 hours to prepare for a presidential visit to your facility. Destin takes us behind the scenes of her tumultuous experience managing a last-minute presidential visit at an oil refinery in 2017. We weigh the potential benefits against the significant risks of such high-stakes s...
Send us a text On this episode Marc and Tom are joined again by Destin Singleton and we discuss the value - and surprises - that can come from a periodic refresh of your crisis plan. We call it spring cleaning. And a spruced up plan smells so much nicer, don't you think? Company reorganizations, personnel changes in your team or in other departments can all impact your crisis plans. New people often need training, or a refresh of training, for roles they may fill in your response plan. ...
Send us a text On January 29, an American Airlines commuter plane collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport. All aboard both aircraft were killed, in what is our nation's worst airline incident in 11 years. How did American Airlines manage early communications around this horrific incident, a worst case scenario for any airline? We walk through the company's initial communications response to understand how they chose to speak to families of those who were ...
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