The role of the board of directors in a crisis

For many organisations, the role of their board of directors during crisis response and recovery is not clear. This can introduce uncertainty, slow the response, deepen the crisis and make everyone's job harder.

The Board's Role in Crisis is a guide for boards members and managers alike. It draws on the combined wisdom of 12 board chairs, directors, and chief executives, all of whom have led their organisations through numerous crises. These include earthquakes, reputational crises, market collapse, terrorism, critical infrastructure failure, worker fatalities, and of course, COVID-19. The 12 interviewees have been involved in many sectors, both public and private, across New Zealand and Australia.

The COIVD-19 crisis has shown us that the unexpected does happen. There is no room for complacency. Being prepared and thinking about how to respond to the next crisis is time well spent if you want your organisation to survive, or even thrive in future events. Ensuring there is clarity at the top of the organisation is a great place to start.

The research was funded by QuakeCoRE and supported by the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

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