TCIP #058 - Helping Law Enforcement Implement a Crisis Ready Culture with Brian Willis
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
Release Date: 08/02/2016
Strategic Emotionality: The New Skillset for Visionary Leaders
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
We've been taught to lead with logic, suppress emotion, and control the narrative. But what if that’s exactly what’s keeping us stuck? In this episode of Leading Through Change, Melissa challenges the outdated belief that emotion has no place in the boardroom. She explores how emotionality—when understood, named, and strategically integrated—becomes a powerful leadership tool. You’ll learn: Why emotion is not the enemy, it's simply energy in motion How low-frequency emotions like anger and grief can become catalysts for connection What “meeting people in their emotionality”...
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How to Create Safety Amidst Chaos and Uncertainty
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
Why do people resist change—even when it's clearly good for them? If you've ever felt frustrated trying to lead people through transformation, only to hit wall after wall of resistance, this episode will change everything. The breakthrough insight: Resistance isn't something to overcome—it's a signal that people don't feel safe enough to transform. In this episode, discover the four levels of safety every leader must master to dissolve resistance and create the conditions where real transformation becomes possible. You'll learn why one's level of transformation is directly linked to their...
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The One Truth That's Destroying Our World
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
There's one "truth" everyone accepts without question. It shapes how leaders respond to crisis. How organizations handle change. How teams navigate conflict. How entire societies function. And it's actively destroying everything. In this paradigm-shattering episode, Melissa Agnes exposes the lie that's been driving failed leadership responses, broken systems, and endless cycles of division and suffering. From Wells Fargo's $3 billion crisis to Peloton's 94% stock collapse, every leadership failure traces back to this single illusion. But here's what makes this episode transformational: Melissa...
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Everything You've Been Taught About Leadership Intelligence Is Wrong
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
In this transformative episode, Melissa challenges one of leadership's most fundamental assumptions: that we should think our way through decisions. But what if our overreliance on logic is precisely why leaders feel paralyzed during times of uncertainty and change? Through the lens of the 2020 pandemic response, she illustrates how even the most powerful leaders became frozen when lacking cognitive answers – creating a dangerous leadership vacuum that amplified fear and suffering. The solution? Accessing our three intelligence centers: the brain (cognitive intelligence), the heart...
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How Coherence Turns Chaos into Clarity
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
In times of crisis and change, the most powerful person in the room isn't the loudest or the most authoritative—it's the calmest. But what creates this calm, and how does it transform chaos into clarity? In this episode, Melissa explains the science and practice of heart-brain coherence—a leadership superpower that few have been taught. She reveals how your emotional state directly influences your ability to lead others through change, backed by fascinating research from the HeartMath Institute (). When fear and resistance run high, logic alone fails. Discover how coherence bypasses...
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Fear Isn’t the Problem — Unawareness Is
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
Welcome to the very first episode of Leading Through Change — a space for leaders who know the old models of control, fear, and reactivity aren’t working… and who feel deeply called to lead differently. In this premiere episode, Melissa Agnes pulls back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood forces in leadership: fear. Not the kind you name out loud. The kind that creeps in under the surface. Hijacks decisions. Clouds clarity. And shapes cultures silently and powerfully. You’ll explore: Why fear is the costliest risk in leadership (and the one most leaders ignore) How...
info_outline![How To Improve Your Crisis Communication Strategy By Understanding Near And Far Enemies [Audio of Blog Post] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/item/30679893?height=50&width=50)
How To Improve Your Crisis Communication Strategy By Understanding Near And Far Enemies [Audio of Blog Post]
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
Connection is at the heart of any good crisis communication strategy. However, we’ve all seen leaders attempt to connect with their audience with all the right words, and yet something feels… off. While a Crisis Ready Hindrance is often blocking that connection, understanding near and far emotional enemies is a powerful tool to help you overcome those Hindrances to resonate and connect in meaningful ways. Within this podcast, which is the audio version of a recent Crisis Ready blog post, Melissa Agnes explores how near and far enemies give leaders and crisis...
info_outline![How to Apply Emotional Awareness to Powerfully Enhance Crisis Communication [Audio of Blog Post] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/item/30022223?height=50&width=50)
How to Apply Emotional Awareness to Powerfully Enhance Crisis Communication [Audio of Blog Post]
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
In order to achieve the mark of a true crisis leader, you must be able to effectively apply emotional awareness to your crisis communication strategy. This episode explores what that means and how to achieve it. This is the audio recording of a blog post, written and narrated by Melissa Agnes, and published to CrisisReadyInstitute.com.
info_outline![Could We Train AI with Emotional Intelligence to Predict a Crisis? [Audio of Blog Post] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/item/30022128?height=50&width=50)
Could We Train AI with Emotional Intelligence to Predict a Crisis? [Audio of Blog Post]
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
Make no mistake: AI absolutely will affect crisis communication — and crisis in general, for that matter. Recently, my friend and the queen of PR herself, Gini Deitrich said something that got me thinking about predictive AI even further: Could AI predict the emotional escalation of a crisis… before it begins to happen? This episode explores this concept and what it could mean for the crisis communication industry. This is the audio recording of a blog post, written and narrated by Melissa Agnes, and published to CrisisReadyInstitute.com.
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How To Never Lose A Customer Again
Leading Through Change with Melissa Agnes
How you make your customers feel is the powerful differentiator from your competitors, lends to the emotional connection you build with your stakeholders, and can ultimately make or break your brand’s invincibility.
info_outlineWhen it comes to crisis management, law enforcement has one of the most challenging tasks. Not only does their crisis management involve real dangers and the important mission of keeping their communities and themselves safe and out of harms way, but it also includes a need for effective and nearly instantaneous communications. And while the former challenge has always been a part of their job description, the latter is relatively new with ever evolving real-time challenges. Challenges that can be difficult and grueling to overcome.
Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I am dedicated to helping law enforcement agencies implement a 21st century crisis-ready culture. Whether it be through my work with law enforcement agencies, EMDs, cities and municipalities, or by leveraging my blog, podcast or #crisisready video series. This is why I was honored when Brian Willis reached out to invite me onto his podcast for his Excellence In Training Academy, which is “a membership site for law enforcement trainers who are committed to the pursuit of excellence in their life and in their training”.
Brian does some amazing work within the law enforcement profession, including being the cofounder of WINx, an annual conference targeted for law enforcement professionals who aren’t happy with the status quo and are willing to be part of the growth and evolution of the law enforcement profession.
Brian was also gracious enough to allow me to repurpose the podcast we recorded together and share it with all of you. It’s a dynamic discussion with lots of great advice and takeaways for the law enforcement profession, so be sure to tune in!
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Connect with Brian and Melissa
About host, Melissa Agnes
Learn more about Melissa Agnes
Follow Melissa on Twitter: @melissa_agnes
Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn
Email Melissa directly: [email protected]
About guest, Brian Willis
Brian has 25 years experience as a full time police officer. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his commitment and contributions to officer safety in Canada and was honored as the Law Officer Trainer of the Year in 2011. Brian also has 25 years experience as a law enforcement trainer. He works with law enforcement trainers who love to teach, are committed to their own learning and are passionate about helping their officers perform at their best.
If you’re in the law enforcement profession and haven’t done so already, please check out Brian’s Excellence In Training Academy. I also encourage you to watch Brian’s TEDx talk: The Most Dangerous Weapon in Law Enforcement.
- Learn more about Brian and connect with him on LinkedIn
- Follow Brian on Twitter: @BrianRWillis
- Check out Brian’s consulting agency: Winning Mind Training
- Visit lifesmostpowerfulquestion.com to learn more about “what’s important now?” as a crisis management strategy
- Discover WINx and register to attend this year’s conference in Chicago!
- Listen to a past episode of The Crisis Intelligence Podcast with Brian Willis
I’d like to extend a big thanks to Brian for welcoming me into his Excellence in Training Academy by means of this podcast. Our discussion is an important one and I look forward to continuing it and helping where I can.