The Biggest Mistake Leaders Make in a Crisis (CEO of Cygnet, Keval Hutheesing)

The Biggest Mistake Leaders Make in a Crisis (CEO of Cygnet, Keval Hutheesing)

From Lead the Team (Top 2% of Podcasts) by Ben Fanning

May 16, 2026 · 36 min · Episode 444

About this episode

Keval Hutheesing shares insights on leadership during crises and the importance of core goals over having all the answers.

Pressure reveals leaders. Keval Hutheesing, CEO of Cygnet.One, was 25 when he suddenly became responsible for 900 people—in the middle of a crisis. No playbook. No certainty. And hundreds of people counting on his decisions. Most people think leadership in moments like that is about having the "right" answers. That’s the mistake. As Keval told me: “I didn’t have all the information… but I had our core goals and vision.” This raises a few uncomfortable questions for leaders in a crisis: - What do you do when you have to make an important decision with incomplete—or bad—data? - What if hesitating is higher risk than making the wrong call? - When the pressure is on what actually guides your decisions? Amateurs panic. Great leaders create direction. That’s how his team stayed aligned, customers stayed supported, and eventually they achieved success and became even stronger. What’s helps you stay calm under pressure? ----- Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben Fanning Speaking and Training inquires Subscribe to my Youtube channel LinkedIn Instagram Twitter

People in this episode

Host: Ben Fanning

Guest: Keval Hutheesing

Topics covered

  • leadership
  • crisis management
  • decision making
  • team alignment
  • pressure handling

Keywords

  • leadership
  • crisis
  • decision making
  • team alignment
  • pressure
  • goals
  • vision

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cygnet.One

More episodes of Lead the Team (Top 2% of Podcasts)

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Lead the Team (Top 2% of Podcasts) podcast page.