Crisis and Problem Solving at Work.

Duration: 50 minutes.

Warm-up Questions

• What’s the most stressful situation you’ve faced at work?
• How do you usually react under pressure?
• What kind of problems happen most often in your workplace?

How to lead in a crisis.
The Way We Work, a TED series.

Leading a team through unpredictable obstacles demands more than just strategy; it requires genuine humility and a sense of urgency. Drawing on her expertise, Amy C. Edmondson shares compelling examples that demonstrate how any leader can step up and thrive during difficult times.

Key Vocabulary & Phrasal Verbs.

Word / Phrasal Verb	Definition	Example Sentence
Upheaval	A violent or sudden change or disruption to a traditional state.	The sudden political uprising caused massive social upheaval.
Upend	To set or turn something on its end or upside down; to overturn.	The new technology threatens to upend the entire retail industry.
Ramp up	To increase the amount, level, or intensity of something.	The company decided to ramp up production before the holiday season.
Backfire	To have an opposite and undesirable effect to what was intended.	The manager’s attempt to control every detail backfired, causing a strike.
Up in the air	Uncertain; not yet decided or settled.	Our travel plans are still up in the air because of the new restrictions.
Steadfastness	The quality of being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.	Her steadfastness in her beliefs earned her the respect of her peers.
Counterintuitive	Contrary to what common sense or intuition would expect.	It seems counterintuitive, but slowing down can sometimes help you finish faster.
Bolster	To support, strengthen, or provide a boost to something.	The government introduced new tax credits to bolster the economy.

Reading Text: Flipping the Leadership Playbook in Times of Upheaval.

Historically, our collective image of a “great leader” has been that of the unwavering captain—a stoic figure possessing all the answers, guided by historical data and a confident, iron-clad plan. In stable times, this model of constancy is celebrated. However, the modern world is defined by its radical interconnectivity. A localized political uprising or a microscopic virus can trigger global shockwaves, creating a state of perpetual upheaval. In these moments, the traditional leadership “playbook” is not just insufficient; it is dangerous.

According to leadership expert Amy C. Edmondson, a crisis that upends our reality requires a new approach based on transparency, urgency, and humility. When certainty is nonexistent, leaders must resist the urge to retreat into the shadows. Instead, they must ramp up their communication. As seen with Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian during the 2020 industry collapse, effective leadership means being honest about what is unknown. Paradoxically, admitting a lack of clarity builds more psychological safety than pretending to have a map that doesn’t exist.

The second pillar of this new model is taking decisive action despite incomplete information. While the natural human instinct is to wait for more data, inaction often leaves an organization feeling unstable and lost. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern demonstrated this by implementing a national alert system early in the pandemic. Although she lacked the perfect data to set the initial levels, her willingness to act—and later update those actions as new information emerged—saved lives.

Crucially, while tactical goals may shift rapidly during a crisis, a leader’s values must remain steadfast. Values serve as a “guiding light” or a compass when everything else is up in the air. Whether the core value is customer experience or public safety, it must be the nucleus of every decision. This steadfastness in values provides the security that people crave, even when the specific plans are changing daily.

Finally, the most counterintuitive step is the act of giving power away. In moments of fear, leaders often try to centralize control, but this usually backfires. By sharing power and asking for help, leaders provoke innovation and give their teams a sense of meaning. People do not follow these leaders because they have a perfect map of the future; they follow them because they trust their compass and their commitment to finding the path forward together.

Understanding the Text.

1. Analytical Contrast: How does the modern “playbook” for leadership differ from the traditional image of a leader as an “unwavering captain”?
2. The Honesty Paradox: Why does admitting you don’t have the answers create more psychological safety for employees?
3. The Compass vs. The Map: Based on the conclusion of the text, what is the symbolic difference between a “map” and a “compass” in leadership?

Task: Vocabulary Practice

Fill in the blanks using the correct word or phrasal verb from the box below.
Change the form of the verb (tense/plural) if necessary.

Word Bank: Upheaval / Upend / Ramp up / Backfire / Up in the air / Steadfastness / Counterintuitive / Bolster

1. The sudden resignation of the CEO has left the company’s future strategy completely ________. No one knows what will happen next.
2. It might seem ________, but sometimes giving employees more freedom actually leads to higher productivity.
3. During the pandemic, hospitals had to ________ their emergency services to handle the rising number of patients.
4. The massive social ________ caused by the new law forced the government to reconsider its decision.
5. If you try to control your team too strictly, it might ________ and lead to a lack of motivation and creativity.
6. New regulations in the energy sector are expected to ________ the traditional fossil fuel market.
7. To ________ the morale of the team during the crisis, the manager started holding daily “gratitude sessions.”
8. The leader was praised for her ________; even during the most difficult months, she never changed her core values.

Answer Key:

1. Up in the air (Uncertainty).
2. Counterintuitive (Contrary to expectations).
3. Ramp up (Increase intensity).
4. Upheaval (Sudden disruption).
5. Backfire (Opposite result).
6. Upend (Overturn/disrupt completely).
7. Bolster (Strengthen/Support).
8. Steadfastness (Firmness/Consistency).

Wrap-Up Discussion.

1. Which of these words above best describes the current state of the global economy? Use at least two of the vocabulary words in your answer.
2. Sharing Power: Giving power away during a crisis is described as “counterintuitive.” In your specific field of work, how could “giving power away” actually bolster innovation during a time of upheaval? What are the risks of holding onto control too tightly?
3. The “Safety” Paradox: The text suggests that leaders who admit they don’t have all the answers actually create more psychological safety. In your experience, do you find it easier to trust a leader who is honest about their limitations, or do you prefer the traditional “unwavering captain” who shows no doubt? Why?