Leadership Challenges

The Transformation of Crises and Crisis Consciousness

Crisis management has never been easy. Organizational chaos, media pressure, stress, and inaccurate information are but a few factors that make it very hard for crisis leaders to make sound decisions. Changes in the nature and context of contemporary crises render these decisions nearly elusive. Certainly, the classic contingencies – natural disasters, industrial accidents, violent political conflict, and public disorder – continue to menace us. But when they transpire on our modem world stage, their sociopolitical impact affects more players than ever before. The modern crisis is increasingly complex. It is not spatially confined by common
boundaries; it entangles quickly with other deep problems, and its impact is prolonged. The modern crisis is the product of several modernization processes – globalization, deregulation, information and communication technology, developments and technological advances, to name but a few. These advances promote a close-knit world that is nonetheless susceptible to infestation by a single crisis. Comparatively slight mishaps
within these massive and intricate infrastructures can rapidly escalate in unforeseen ways. A prime example can be found in the European food and agriculture sector. One animal was diagnosed with foot-and-mouth disease in a remote English farm and, within days, the disease had affected all of Europe. Farmers, slaughterhouses, distributors, butcheries, consumers, inspection agencies, policy makers, and politicians endured enormous economic and social-psychological costs. A week later, the world had installed precautionary measures to resist the disease. Canada, Japan, Mexico, Australia – all were on alert, and not without reason. Open international borders permit both economic growth and epidemic proliferation, and
so, too, invite massive flows of illegal migration. Epidemiologists warn of resistant killer viruses whose destructive impact is magnified by the enhanced global mobility of people, goods, and animals (Garret 1994). Modern crises are no longer confined to their site of origin. Equally important is the cognitive and sociocultural context of contemporary crises. After decades of complacence, there is a growing sense of vulnerability.