You're dealing with criticism during an emergency response. How do you stay focused and effective?

I like to keep it simple: 1) Acknowledge the criticism (I hear you) 2) Communicate Priorities to stakeholders (this is why we're doing what we are doing) 3) Stay Focused on the Mission (Let’s keep our focus on resolving the situation and delivering the best outcome) ***If the criticism is valid and can improve the end result, integrate the feedback quickly and efficiently, communicate the change, and keep on driving towards completion.***

Embracing feedback to improve emergency response strategies is critical to the effectiveness of the performance of emergency management. In emergency situations, first priority is to resolve the issues quickly with limited information and available resources to assist the community. So collecting feedback from the observer from the community is essential to improve your ability and decision making to enhance the team’s performance in the future.

While embracing criticism during emergency response, don’t forget to restate the task and purpose at hand (Mission Statement). Empower all stakeholders to utilize their voice and mind for the greater good. All stakeholders must believe that what they do or don’t do has a lasting impact on the success or failure of the mission. While criticism is welcomed, empower your team to turn the negative into a positive. The criticism could very well not be criticism, yet, a more efficient way of completing a task. Possibly the delivery of the message, the timing, pitch, tone or various other variables could potentially make an idea or recommendation be perceived to be criticism. Leaders lead with purpose, direction and motivation!

Una crítica en momentos de crisis, no debe entender como algo negativo, la crítica podría ser canalizada de manera efectiva para estimular y agudizar nuestra mejor capacidad de reacción, si se tiene organizada la gestión de emergencias y si tienes los protocolos de atención bien definidos para cada tipo de emergencia, entonces una crítica podría servir incluso como estímulo positivo para una reacción más efectiva durante la emergencia.

Assessing relevance to all received feedback from the observer of the emergency situation is the most effective way to improve performance and effectiveness in the future crisis. Constructive, actionable and relevant feedback to be considered first to ensure fast action and decisive response in future planning. Focus is to be able to provide rescue services rapidly with minimal risk and disruption.

Some criticism are just to deviate your attention. Its the test of emergency responders on how soon they can get panic. Key is to Stay Calm, Focused and use all energy to manage the disruptive event. In case its relevant as per your assessment, incorporate in your response wisely.

In the heat of battle, consider the source… Is there a solution somewhere in there? Emergency Management is never going to be an exact science. As has been stated previously, making a decision with the 70% solution moves the needle.

Study the technical details of the systems you interact with, and learn the nearly exhaustive list of potential stakeholders and what they can bring to the table. This is closely related to the protocols and the needs of the different situations. Also, assess the subjective relevance - meaning what this critic can do to improve/exacerbate the situation. The desire to get a drunk swearing guy off your tail can be strong, but if he then does something really stupid and dies on the scene - that is going to be your problem again.

Criticism needs to acknowledged, understanding that is feedback and interpreted as such. Just as new intell is coming in during the emergency. Just as you're dealing with the intell and decision making on plan course of action, the feedback is answered as well during this process. If we can use that information or not and why not. And after crisis is finished and dealt with..a Debriefing should be held as to how the Operation was handle.What we did great, ok , not so well..where do we need to get better at..Operations, Planning, Supply, Communication, Recovery.

Stay focused and composed on the task. Criticism could actually be good in many ways. Embraced that criticism, good or bad as a means of ongoing growth and life experience. Criticism only makes you greater at what you do. Remember, you will never satisfy everyone. Practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent. Criticism is a permanent part of life.

The best way to deal with criticism during emergency response is ideally better than you would on a personal level. Criticism can often come off way that makes you want to be defensive, but seasoned practitioner the same as mature adult. Composure, listening for any truth that may be in the criticismto adjust possible possible criticism. Sounds ideal and it’s often harder than it sounds.

Maintaining composure of the team leader is important for effective decision making, leadership development in highly stressful situations for the public safety. Thinking clearly reassures team for better outcomes and public health and keeping all emotions and defensive thoughts away shows your professional ability.

As an emergency responder or manager, the basic quality is that they must be the last one to get panic. The more you remain calm and composed, more effectively you can take the right decision at right team which will further help in effectively responding to the disruptive event.

I agree that criticism is important, feedback is critical for continuous improvement, however you can take nothing personally and stay on task. Focusing on the task at hand will help you keep your composure when people who fail to plan realize they have planned to fail. Depending on your role in emergency management, lives may depend on your decisions and resource allocations, angry and upset stakeholders cannot steal your focus or make you lose your composure or make bad decisions.

One thing I found helpful during an emergency response, criticism can be particularly challenging, but staying focused and effective is essential. Remember the primary goal of the emergency response is safeguarding lives, minimizing damage, and restoring normalcy. Keeping this mission at the forefront helps prioritize actions and decisions over distractions like criticism. Clear and consistent communication is key. Rely on your team for support and perspective. Often, a collaborative approach can defuse tensions and refocus everyone on the task at hand. Encourage an environment where team members can share concerns and suggestions openly.

We need to utilize our framing constructs; determine what are statuary requirements, determine what are things that need to be done and when. When managing a crisis, every desk/ chair/ agency,or department advocates for their own needs, that’s why framing constructs come into play. They will allow you to objectively allocate resources based on the immediate resources you have, and the ability to properly forecast/ request the other immediate resources responses that could arise. Proper framing makes missions more effective and contributes to to further crisis management success by all all stakeholders.

First of all tasks w.r.t. emergency management must be identified and written in the relevant Emergency / Crisis / Incident Management Plans along with responsibility and tentative time it should take. Once Tasks are identified, then it will become easier to prioritize.

Your Emergency Action Plan should be a living document. Get your After Action Review (AAR) on the calendar while it’s fresh. Communicate your intent and invite the whole team to share observations and solutions. Everything is up for criticism and is so much better received when constructively presented with solutions and/or Plans B or C.

For the team to work effectively it is always important to allocate tasks to the team acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses. This allows that person to prioritise there tasks and leads to the task being done effectively with confidence. During an emergency situation it is common to use processes such as (dr)ABCDE. This allows for the team to follow the same process and use a systematic approach to managing a patient prioritising the airway first and moving on once that stage of the process is stabilised.

Clear communication is essential for success in any situation. Remember to communicate in SMART format. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. All the time…

Different communication channels shall be created for different stakeholders. External Stakeholders Internal Stakeholders Crisis Management at local, country and global level Operations Enablers which also includes Third Parties Employees Only relevant communication shall be sent to the stakeholders based on the roles/responsibilities of the members in communication channels.

Often times people criticize what they don’t understand, scared of, or understand halfway especially in times of crisis. This is why keeping an open two way communication channel in times of emergencies is very important because this will allow the public receive and send information. It’ll help greatly put the minds of people at ease and your team will have the public support and trust. This will allow you and your team work with less pressure and get the best possible outcome.

Often times people criticize what they don’t understand, scared of, or understand halfway especially in times of crisis. This is why keeping an open two way communication channel in times of emergencies is very important because this will allow the public receive and send information. It’ll help greatly put the minds of people at ease and your team will have the public support and trust. This will allow you and your team work with less pressure and get the best possible outcome.

Communication is key to delivering the best care! It is always important to communicate clearly and effectively to allow all members of the team to take in the information, digest it and react. It is important to have someone to lead the situation who can effortlessly give instructions and be the person to address should you need to add any information or raise concerns. Whilst the leader needs good communication skills it’s is also crucial the team knows how to respond to this. For other members of the team it’s important to have actively listening skills to show acknowledgment of what is said. This can be by non verbal queues or repeating back to show you have an understanding of what is said

1. Stay mission-focused: Keep the response goals and objectives top of mind, and remind yourself and others of the shared purpose. 2. Avoid taking it personally: Separate personal identity from professional actions, and don't let criticism affect self-esteem. 3. Use criticism as a learning opportunity: Extract valuable insights from constructive criticism to improve response efforts. 4. Set boundaries: Establish clear expectations for feedback and criticism, and prioritize constructive input. 5. Maintain a growth mindset: View challenges and criticism as chances for growth, learning, and improvement. 6. Foster a positive team culture: Encourage open communication, empathy, and support among team members.

During an emergency situation it is always important to reflect on what has happened. I have often been involved in hot and cold debriefs; Hot debrief - this happens straight after and is very important for staff well being. This involved taking a step back and gathering your thoughts and being open with the team on what has happened, any questions about the situation and emotionally recovering. Cold debrief - this can be weeks later and allows staff to gather information about the situation and regroup with the professionals involved, going over the event again and applying policies and statistics to be able to say what went well and any issues faced during the event with constructive criticism for how it can be improved for next time

Time to reflect on criticism or presented options to make a decision is key. When no time is carved out or is factored in and appreciated by those that await decisions it only applies undue pressure and often results in time-poor decisions without due reflection in a space/environment to read, review and reflect without distraction.

Invite Senior Management for their observations with an outline of what you observed and want to tweak. Sometimes having senior leader representatives in the AAR provides unspoken top cover especially if you are on the same vectors. Critics are not always the best scribes especially in a crisis. A good Senior will recognize the SpotlightRangers.