Essay: When disaster strikes, people need two things from CEOs and government officials: data and empathy
The world has become quite sophisticated when it comes to preparing for disasters. Intelligence reports and law enforcement bulletins tell agencies what criminal or terror threats may be out there. The National Weather Service gives us a sense of when hurricanes or tornadoes are coming. New technology is giving residents even a few seconds warning about earthquakes.
We are less sophisticated when it comes to minimizing the consequences of a disaster after it happens. During a crisis, people look to their leaders for two things: numbers and hope. Whether you are a CEO, a government official, a teacher or a parent, when disaster strikes you need to be able to give people who depend on you basic data to guide their response and an empathetic acknowledgment that things are perilous but will get better.