Across exercises and real‑world incidents, common lessons have emerged for crisis team leaders and operational response controllers. Whether responding to severe, urgent incidents or sustained, fatiguing challenges, we have observed leaders learning these lessons and adapting their practice for the better.

 

The first learning is that command and control must be cultural, not occasional. When leaders apply consistent rules to control meetings, teams know what to expect and establish a productive rhythm quickly. Visual prompts amplify this effect. Displaying things like briefing notes, facts boards, action plans and relevant images help focus discussion and keeps the team aligned.

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Reliability of information is frequently cited as a challenge. Leaders emphasise the value of recording the source of facts and flagging unconfirmed information. Acting based on unverified facts is sometimes necessary, but every effort should be made to confirm those facts as soon as possible. Often a desire for momentum leads to misdirection.

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Another challenge leaders have noted is emotional overload. While most leaders consider themselves calm, they also care a lot about their performance and that of the teams they lead. As a result, anxiety, frustration and cognitive overload can threaten a leader’s balance during heightened response. Leaders who remind themselves to stay curious, communicate plainly, and model composure are the most successful at maintaining team cohesion and avoiding closed thinking, or ‘tunnel vision’.  

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One of the best pieces of advice AMQ gives leaders is this: Slow is fast. Teams that are comfortable establishing a deep, shared understanding before rushing to actions are eventually rewarded with efficiency and better decision making. These teams don’t find themselves having to circle back or start over, because they take the necessary time at the beginning of their response.  

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When applied in combination, these insights enhance the productivity and harmony of teams working under pressure.