Crisis Leadership & Reputation: Responding to Incidents, Social Media, and Headlines with Truth and Wisdom
Episode notes
Crisis doesn’t ask permission—and in 2026, it’s rarely just the incident. It’s the group text five minutes later, the Facebook post with half the facts, the screenshot that never goes away, and the headline that travels faster than truth.
In this episode of Saints Together, Dr. Jay McCurry (Provost & Chief Academic Officer at Randall University) shares a practical, faith-forward framework for leading through crisis with steadiness and credibility—drawing from lessons in Christian higher education and insights from his doctoral research on how stakeholders judge leadership communication in hard moments.
You’ll learn:
- Why reputation is built in peacetime, not during the emergency
- How to communicate with Truth, Timing, and Tone
- Why crises require one voice, one message, especially on social media
- How to lead like a shepherd, not just a spokesperson
- What to repeat so people actually remember it
- Why the post-crisis debrief is non-negotiable if you want trust to grow
Jay also brings it home to Randall’s mission—responding with truth without cruelty, compassion without compromise, and clarity without panic—because in a crisis, leadership becomes witness.
If this episode helps you, share it with another leader carrying the weight of responsibility. You don’t have to lead through hard moments alone.