Advance Praise
“Rob Weinhold has captured in this one book what it took me 28 books to communicate to CEO’s.”
—Dr. Joseph Mancuso, founder of CEO Clubs International, ceoclubs.org and ceoclubsworldwide.com
“Having taught both crisis management and resiliency to business executives and public safety leaders through Hopkins’ Police Executive Leadership Program (PELP), this book offers tremendous perspective and is a clear resource for all leaders who want to understand the nuances of survival during life’s most critical times.”
—Dr. Katherine Wilson, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
“As a record-breaking professional driver who has smashed several transcontinental driving records in various vehicles, I’ve learned that preparation, endurance and will are the keys to coming out victorious in high-risk and high-intensity situations. Rob’s knowledge offered in this book is critical to avoiding and surviving issues that test your personal or professional grit.”
—Carl Reese, endurance driver and Guinness World Record holder
“Whether a top executive or entry level employee, sooner or later, through no fault of your own, your business or personal reputation will be tested. To preserve your good name, immediate action must be taken. Weinhold’s deep knowledge and expert perspective is clear—and, the key takeaways are right on point. This is a must read for anyone who wants to protect their most critical asset over time, their reputation.”
—William Davis, Business Strategist and retired Fortune 100 Executive
“In my 30 plus years as a television news executive, I’ve seen peoples’ stories implode both on and off-camera, particularly when they’re attempting to manage controversial issues. The real life situations and strategies detailed in this book are invaluable to those who have to make the tough decisions when the world is watching.”
—Joe DeFeo, ABC7/NewsChannel8 Washington, DC
“...the ultimate primer every successful business leader and executive should have in their arsenal. Weinhold shares lessons learned and best practices from decades of experience in a concise and entertaining manner with real world examples that will keep the reader engaged and looking for more.”
—L. Content McLaughlin, J.D., LL.M., Best Lawyers in America and 50 Women of Power and Influence designee
“Immensely interesting book from one of the best in the crisis leadership industry. Weinhold has seen it all...from volatile local controversies to being a CNN commentator on issues of national importance. Crisis? Weinhold and his team is your solution!”
—Leonard Sipes, former federal senior spokesperson, 35 years of media relations experience
“Rob has a tremendous amount of professional experience, across multiple industries, which he describes perfectly throughout this book. The book isn’t about Rob, it is about Rob using his experiences to help others and ensure others are learning from the life lessons he and others endured through many years of challenges and unexpected situations. We all believe that you can only control what you can control, and you must take the necessary small steps to be effective in life. There is so much we can learn from other people; Rob is the king of stepping back, evaluating and finding ways to improve and lessons to be learned.”
—Ben Leigh, Professional & Amateur Sports Marketing Executive
The Art of
Crisis Leadership
The Art of
Crisis Leadership
Save time, money, customers
and ultimately, your career
Rob Weinhold
with Kevin Cowherd
Apprentice House
Loyola University Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland
Copyright © 2016 by Robert Weinhold
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission from the publisher (except by reviewers who may quote brief passages).
First Edition
Printed in the United States of America
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-62720-112-4
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-62720-113-1
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62720-114-8
Cover Design: Brandon Lee Beach
Internal Design: Apprentice House
Photo of Author by Josie Hankey
Editorial Development: Karl Dehmelt
Published by Apprentice House
Apprentice House
Loyola University Maryland
4501 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21210
410.617.5265 • 410.617.2198 (fax)
www.ApprenticeHouse.com
I dedicate this milestone to Cindy, Timothy, Garrett and Brendan.
Without your lifelong support, interest, enthusiasm and encouragement, nothing I have ever accomplished would have meaning or would have even been possible.
I am gratefully indebted to each of you for making my life complete.
Acknowledgments
In any job I’ve ever had, whether walking around with an oily gas can and Craftsman push mower as a 12-year-old to revamping core business verticals at a high level, I’ve always approached life with an entrepreneurial spirit. How does one make something bigger, faster, stronger—in other words, optimize it? And, what was it that the very best leaders did to drive results, real results? After all, it’s not what you take on, it’s what you accomplish!
I have never been opposed to calculated risk and generally had a knack for thinking big and mobilizing resources. It was with this mindset that I nervously embarked on the biggest professional risk of my life—starting my own company in 2009—after having worked really hard for many years making others look good, and making them lots of money. As an admirer of sound leadership, I had often wondered why I’d turn on the news each night and see once proud leaders recklessly sabotaging their own careers. Why was it that so many behaved irresponsibly when faced with crisis or controversy? Why did so many say and do the wrong things and end up being judged so harshly in the court of public opinion? Reputation
