TOM KOLDITZ is a retired Brigadier General and accomplished social psychologist who served as Department Head at West Point. A globally recognized speaker and author on “in extremis” leadership, he founded five influential leadership programs, including the West Point Leadership Center, the Leader Development Program at the Yale School of Management, and the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University.MARIANA KHOMITSKA is an organizational development and leadership expert with over 19 years of experience in executive development and learning strategy. As Learning & Development Director at N-iX, she helps build leadership capability and develop L&D as a strategic business function in conditions of constant change and uncertainty. Her work and perspective have been shaped by leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, the full-scale war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and large-scale organizational transformation.

• Foreword xiIntroduction 1Part I Understanding the Crucible 21Chapter 1 The Nature of Uncertainty 23Chapter 2 Crisis as the Leadership Crucible 35Chapter 3 The Psychology of Leading in Chaos 45Part II Mindsets for Effective Leadership 57Chapter 4 The Leadership Mindset Shift 59Chapter 5 The Human Side of Crisis 71Part III Specific Techniques for Leading in Uncertainty 83Chapter 6 Creating Constructive Dialogue as a Leader 85Chapter 7 Predicting When Your Organization Is Vulnerable 95Chapter 8 Fostering Initiative and Empowerment as a Leader 105Chapter 9 Avoiding Accepting a Flawed Plan 119Chapter 10 Ensuring the Effective Execution of a Plan 133Chapter 11 Growing and Maintaining a Learning Organization 145Chapter 12 Managing Failure in Crisis 157Chapter 13 Leading Through Medical Uncertainty 183Chapter 14 Avoiding Political Takedown 203Chapter 15 What Does the Future Hold? 209Appendix A: Interviewee Biographies 219Appendix B: General Interview Questions 225References 227Acknowledgments 231About the Authors 233Index 237

TOM KOLDITZ is a retired Brigadier General and accomplished social psychologist who served as Department Head at West Point. A globally recognized speaker and author on “in extremis” leadership, he founded five influential leadership programs, including the West Point Leadership Center, the Leader Development Program at the Yale School of Management, and the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University.MARIANA KHOMITSKA is an organizational development and leadership expert with over 19 years of experience in executive development and learning strategy. As Learning & Development Director at N-iX, she helps build leadership capability and develop L&D as a strategic business function in conditions of constant change and uncertainty. Her work and perspective have been shaped by leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, the full-scale war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and large-scale organizational transformation.

• Foreword xiIntroduction 1Part I Understanding the Crucible 21Chapter 1 The Nature of Uncertainty 23Chapter 2 Crisis as the Leadership Crucible 35Chapter 3 The Psychology of Leading in Chaos 45Part II Mindsets for Effective Leadership 57Chapter 4 The Leadership Mindset Shift 59Chapter 5 The Human Side of Crisis 71Part III Specific Techniques for Leading in Uncertainty 83Chapter 6 Creating Constructive Dialogue as a Leader 85Chapter 7 Predicting When Your Organization Is Vulnerable 95Chapter 8 Fostering Initiative and Empowerment as a Leader 105Chapter 9 Avoiding Accepting a Flawed Plan 119Chapter 10 Ensuring the Effective Execution of a Plan 133Chapter 11 Growing and Maintaining a Learning Organization 145Chapter 12 Managing Failure in Crisis 157Chapter 13 Leading Through Medical Uncertainty 183Chapter 14 Avoiding Political Takedown 203Chapter 15 What Does the Future Hold? 209Appendix A: Interviewee Biographies 219Appendix B: General Interview Questions 225References 227Acknowledgments 231About the Authors 233Index 237

TOM KOLDITZ is a retired Brigadier General and accomplished social psychologist who served as Department Head at West Point. A globally recognized speaker and author on “in extremis” leadership, he founded five influential leadership programs, including the West Point Leadership Center, the Leader Development Program at the Yale School of Management, and the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University.MARIANA KHOMITSKA is an organizational development and leadership expert with over 19 years of experience in executive development and learning strategy. As Learning & Development Director at N-iX, she helps build leadership capability and develop L&D as a strategic business function in conditions of constant change and uncertainty. Her work and perspective have been shaped by leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, the full-scale war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and large-scale organizational transformation.

• Foreword xiIntroduction 1Part I Understanding the Crucible 21Chapter 1 The Nature of Uncertainty 23Chapter 2 Crisis as the Leadership Crucible 35Chapter 3 The Psychology of Leading in Chaos 45Part II Mindsets for Effective Leadership 57Chapter 4 The Leadership Mindset Shift 59Chapter 5 The Human Side of Crisis 71Part III Specific Techniques for Leading in Uncertainty 83Chapter 6 Creating Constructive Dialogue as a Leader 85Chapter 7 Predicting When Your Organization Is Vulnerable 95Chapter 8 Fostering Initiative and Empowerment as a Leader 105Chapter 9 Avoiding Accepting a Flawed Plan 119Chapter 10 Ensuring the Effective Execution of a Plan 133Chapter 11 Growing and Maintaining a Learning Organization 145Chapter 12 Managing Failure in Crisis 157Chapter 13 Leading Through Medical Uncertainty 183Chapter 14 Avoiding Political Takedown 203Chapter 15 What Does the Future Hold? 209Appendix A: Interviewee Biographies 219Appendix B: General Interview Questions 225References 227Acknowledgments 231About the Authors 233Index 237