The 4 core principles of crisis management, w/Ellen Kullman (DuPont, Carbon)

Overcommunication

Ellen Kullman emphasizes the critical role of overcommunication during crises, a lesson she learned early in her career at DuPont. She highlights the importance of consistent and clear communication to maintain team focus and clarity, especially when working remotely. Neil Blumenthal of Warby Parker echoes this sentiment, noting that during the COVID-19 pandemic, they increased their all-hands meetings to twice a week to keep the team informed and engaged 1.

It's amazing to me when I first learned that about the 15th time I said something, people were finally starting to believe I was serious.

--- Ellen Kullman

This approach helps counteract the loss of informal communication channels and ensures everyone is aligned with the company's goals 2.

   

Crisis Control

Navigating a crisis requires a strategic focus on what can be controlled, as Ellen Kullman learned during her tenure at DuPont. She stresses the importance of identifying controllable factors to avoid paralysis and maintain momentum. Jonah Peretti, CEO of BuzzFeed, shares a similar experience, having taken decisive actions to reduce costs and adapt to the changing landscape during the pandemic 2.

What you do is figure out what you can do, what you actually have some modicum of control over and figure out if it's going to help and get after it and get the team focused.

--- Ellen Kullman

Brian Chesky of Airbnb illustrates this principle by making bold decisions to support hosts and employees, ultimately raising a billion dollars during the crisis 3.