Crisis Leadership: 3 Decisions You Must Make in the First 5 Minutes

Crisis Leadership: 3 Decisions You Must Make in the First 5 Minutes

From Leadership in the Line of Fire | Leadership Lessons from Firefighting for Business & Life by Brad Hauck

May 18, 2026 · 17 min · Season 1 · Episode 34

About this episode

Brad Hauck discusses the critical decisions leaders must make in the first five minutes of a crisis.

Send us Fan Mail Confusion spreads faster than flames — and the decisions you make in the first five minutes of a crisis determine whether you stabilize the situation or make it worse. Brad Hauck breaks down the exact three-decision framework he uses on the fireground and in business: read the scene, stop the spread, then create clarity before people start writing their own story. Most leaders skip step one and pay for it all the way through. Support the show Enjoying Leadership in the Line ...

People in this episode

Host: Brad Hauck

Topics covered

  • crisis leadership
  • decision making
  • firefighting
  • business strategy
  • leadership lessons

Keywords

  • crisis
  • leadership
  • decisions
  • fireground
  • business
  • clarity
  • confusion

More episodes of Leadership in the Line of Fire | Leadership Lessons from Firefighting for Business & Life

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Leadership in the Line of Fire | Leadership Lessons from Firefighting for Business & Life podcast page.