EDITOR’S NOTE: Leading up to DRJ Spring 2025, Disaster Recovery Journal will highlight the authors featured in the “Resilience Reads: Meet the Authors” exhibition in Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Jo Robertson, a seasoned crisis management expert with more than 20 years of experience, is on a mission to help business leaders navigate crises before they happen.
In her book, “Executing Crisis: A C-Suite Crisis Leadership Guide,” Robertson delivers no-nonsense strategies for executives and entrepreneurs to proactively strengthen their organizations against disruptions. Drawing from her work with Fortune 500 leaders, she highlights practical steps that companies—especially small to midsized businesses—can take to build resilience and avoid the pitfalls of reactive crisis management.
“No successful crisis response begins on the day of the crisis,” said Robertson of her book. “It’s the simplest of ideas – for us in the resilience space – but the concept seems to constantly evade the grasp of corporate leaders who often do little to prepare until they’re in the thick of things and then hope their PR teams and consultants can spin them out of the vortex. ‘Executing Crisis’ is based on my experience working with C-suite leaders at dozens of Fortune 500 companies. It provides no-nonsense practical tips that small to mid-sized leaders can assimilate – in advance – to leave them well prepared to survive a crisis.”
Robertson saw the book as an opportunity to raise awareness and develop resilient leadership practices.
“I truly believe business leaders would be better served by understanding key crisis concepts and applying them to their own situation rather than relying on crisis advisors to swoop in to take care of a problem once it has become a crisis,” said Robertson. “This is especially true for small to mid-sized companies and entrepreneurs who may have shied away from crisis planning because they can’t justify the expense of in-house expertise. I wrote this book to empower savvy leaders toward a better outcome. I’ve included a lot of real-life examples and case studies (including live hyperlinks to video clips in the electronic version) to make the concepts tangible and easily applicable.”
“Executing Crisis: A C-Suite Crisis Leadership Guide” is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Rothstein Publishing.
Robertson hasn’t written other books, but she is the author of an important research article for Disaster Recovery Journal titled, “How to See Gray Rhinos.”
Visit Robertson and other “Resilience Reads” guest authors at DRJ Spring 2025 in Orlando, Fla., March 23-26, 2025. Attendees will have a chance to meet leading industry experts, exchange ideas, and explore the latest insights in resilience. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a signed copy of their books and discover valuable resources to advance your career.
For more information, visit www.drj.com/spring2025.
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