Leadership in Dangerous Situations: A Handbook for the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and First Responders

by Patrick Sweeney PhD., Michael D. Matthews PhD., Paul D. Lester PhD.

Overview

Offering the wisdom of practitioners from the military, law enforcement, fire and rescue, as well as prominent scholars this guide integrates theory and research with practical experience to help the reader prepare for the unique psychological, social, and physical challenges of leading in dangerous contexts. Whether a young soldier preparing for war, seasoned combat commander, SWAT team leader, EMT supervisor, law enforcement patrol unit leader, or fire department lieutenant, those involved in life-and-death situations face common challenges, and the authors draw on their own experiences and that of others to help first responders effectively function in dangerous environments.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591148326
Publisher:	Naval Institute Press
Publication date:	10/15/2011
Series:	Association of the United States Army
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Col. Patrick J. Sweeney, a former battalion commander in the 101st Airborne, directs the Eisenhower Leader Development Program at West Point. Michael D. Matthews, a former law enforcement officer, is currently Professor of Engineering Psychology at West Point and past president of the American Psychological Association's Society for Military Psychology. Capt. Paul B. Lester is a research psychologist in the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness directorate and a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations and Tables ix

Foreword xi

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction

1 Leading in Dangerous Situations: An Overview of the Unique Challenges Patrick J. Sweeney Michael D. Matthews Paul B. Lester 3

Section 1 Enhancing One's Psychological Body Armor

2 What Leaders Should Know about Courage Paul B. Lester Cynthia Pury 21

3 Understanding and Managing Stress James Ness Denise Jablonski-Kaye Isabell Obigt David M. Lam 40

4 Resilience and Leadership in Dangerous Contexts Christopher Peterson Michael J. Craw Nansook Park Michael S. Erwin 60

5 Understanding and Mitigating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Joseph Geraci Mike Baker George Bonanno Barend Tussenbroek Loree Sutton 78

6 Obedience and Personal Responsibility George R. Mastroianni Susann Kimmelman Joe Doty Joseph J. Thomas 97

7 Ethics in Dangerous Situations C. Anthony Pfaff Ted Reich Walter Redman Michael Hurley 121

8 Meaning-Making: The Search for Meaning in Dangerous Contexts David M. Barnes C.Kevin Banks Michael Albanese Michael F.Steger 139

Section 2 Influencing When People Are in Harm's Way

9 Trust: The Key to Leading When Lives Are on the Line Patrick J. Sweeney Kurt T. Dirks David C. Sundberg Paul B. Lester 163

10 Building Resilient Teams Stephen J. Zaccaro Eric J. Weis Rita M. Hilton Jack Jefferies 182

11 Morale: The Essential Intangible Brian Reed Chris Midberry Raymond Ortiz James Redding Jason Toole 202

12 Leadership When It Matters Most: Lessons on Influence from In Extremis Contexts Angela Karrasch Alison Levine Thomas Kolditz 218

13 The Decisive Moment: The Science of Decision Making under Stress Joseph W. Pfeifer James L. Merlo 230

14 Crisis Leadership: The Station Club Fire Michael H. Schuster Lee M. Chartier John E. Chartier 249

15 Leading and Managing Those Working and Living in Captive Environment john T. Eggers Rebecca I. Porter James W.Gray 273

16 Leading across Cultures Janice H. Laurence 291

Section 3 Leveraging the Organization

17 Creating a Culture for Leading and Performing in the Extreme Donald H. Horner jr. Luann P. Pannell Dennis W. Yates 313

18 Choosing the Elite: Recruitment, Assessment, and Selection in Law Enforcement Tactical Teams and Military Special Forces Ole Boe Kristin K. Woolley John Durkin 333

19 Leader Development for Dangerous Contexts Noel F. Palmer Sean T. Hannah Daniel E. Sosnowik 350

Conclusion

20 A Holistic Approach to Leading in Dangerous Situations Patrick J. Sweeney Michael D. Matthews 373

About the Editors 393

About the Contributors 395

Index 399

Editorial Reviews

"Emergency situations are part of the job description for the military and first responders, and there are no higher stakes for leaders than when lives are on the line. This book helps leaders build trust and loyalty and navigate the decision-making process to ensure the best possible outcomes in dangerous contexts. A must-read for anyone whose team operates in unpredictable and risky environments." —Alison Levine, Team Captain, American Women's Everest Expedition

“Developing leaders at all levels who hunger for more understanding about their roles and responsibilities will find themselves fascinated by this compilation. I wish I had it when I was progressing through my career.” —Jim Schwartz, a former Fire Chief at the Pentagon on 9/11, Arlington Virginia FD

From the Publisher