The acting head of FEMA resigned today after just six months. And now another acting leader is stepping in — someone who also lacks the emergency-management experience federal law requires.
It’s a big development for a disaster agency, but the lessons go way beyond FEMA.
This moment is essentially a live case study in what happens when leadership, communication, and credibility misfire inside an organization that absolutely cannot afford confusion.
And here’s the truth:
You don’t need to run FEMA to experience the ripple effects of shaky leadership.
Companies, nonprofits, credit unions, healthcare systems — they all face the same risks when the wrong person is in the wrong crisis-facing role.
1. Crisis leadership requires actual crisis experience.
Leading through emergencies is not something you “learn on the job.”
It requires:
- fast decision-making
- calm under pressure
- understanding how incidents unfold
- knowing how communication impacts outcomes
When organizations put someone unprepared into a crisis-heavy role, things slow down. Confusion rises. People tiptoe. Teams hesitate.
It’s the same reason organizations struggle when:
- someone inexperienced is suddenly the media spokesperson,
- a leader with no crisis training manages a major incident, or
- an interim leader is asked to “just keep things steady” during turbulence.
Lesson: Put experienced people in crisis-facing seats. If they don’t exist internally, train them or bring them in.
2. Internal trust is the earliest signal something is off.
FEMA insiders reportedly questioned Richardson’s leadership early on.
That’s not gossip — that’s data.
In every crisis training I lead, I remind executives:
Your employees always feel the cracks before anyone else does.
When teams sense misalignment at the top, they:
- slow their communication
- delay decisions
- avoid risks
- stop escalating problems early (which is dangerous)
This happens in banks, hospitals, membership organizations, and nonprofits every day.
Lesson: Pay attention to internal trust. It’s a leading indicator — not a nice-to-have.
3. Communication is oxygen during any leadership transition.
Acting leaders almost always bring uncertainty.
Uncertainty fills the silence.
And silence fills with worst-case assumptions.
That alone can create its own crisis.
Smart organizations communicate early and often when leadership shifts:
- who’s accountable
- what’s staying the same
- what’s changing
- what people can expect next
Skilled crisis communicators know this:
You don’t wait for the perfect message — you communicate the clearest message you have right now.
Lesson: Say something. People need direction more than they need perfect answers.
4. Ambiguity slows down crisis response.
In disaster response, minutes matter.
In companies, the same pressures exist — just with different stakes.
When employees don’t know:
- who approves what
- who speaks to the media
- who interacts with partners
- who signs off on statements
- who makes the call in a fast-moving issue
…everything gets slower.
And slow systems invite bigger problems.
Lesson: Define roles before you need them — not during an incident.
5. You can’t “wing it” with public credibility.
Public trust is earned long before a crisis — and lost instantly during one.
A leader who isn’t viewed as credible by their internal team or by external partners is starting the crisis 20 steps behind. FEMA is experiencing that challenge right now.
Businesses see this too when:
- their spokesperson isn’t prepared
- messaging feels inconsistent
- leadership appears reactive instead of proactive
Lesson: Credibility is a preparedness asset. If you don’t invest in it, you can’t borrow it during an emergency.
So What Should FEMA — and Every Other Organization — Do Now?
FEMA needs to:
- appoint a qualified, permanent leader quickly
- rebuild internal trust through transparent communication
- make clear who is accountable for what
- stabilize messaging for state/local partners
- refocus on readiness and communication flow
Organizations need to:
- evaluate who is actually prepared to lead during a crisis
- ensure spokespeople are trained and confident
- develop internal communication plans for leadership changes
- clarify decision-making roles long before they’re tested
- prioritize trust, clarity, and credibility as strategic assets
The Big Picture
This leadership shake-up at FEMA isn’t just an agency story — it’s a reminder that crisis leadership is a skill set, not a job title.
Strong crisis leadership requires:
- experience
- clarity
- trust
- communication
- and steady hands
Organizations that prepare for this in advance thrive when pressure hits.
Organizations that don’t… end up learning the hard way.
