Initial Crisis Response:
A Crisis Leadership Toolkit

How to use this toolkit.

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, institutions are increasingly vulnerable to a wide range of crises. Effective crisis response is essential to safeguard the institution’s integrity, continuity, and reputation. This toolkit is designed to support higher education leaders in the initial stages of crisis response.

Drawing from Crisis Leadership for Boards and Presidents by Terrence MacTaggart, this toolkit provides a structured approach to managing crises. By leveraging these insights and best practices, higher education leaders can enhance their institution’s resilience, foster a culture of preparedness, and navigate the complexities of crisis management with confidence and competence.

This toolkit is part of a series of resources to help your board and leadership anticipate crises:

Related resources.

Crisis Leadership for Boards and Presidents

Crisis Leadership for Boards and Presidents

Anticipating, Managing, and Leading Beyond Pandemics, Disruptions, and Ethical Failures

Terrence MacTaggart, 2020 | Book

This book is a how-to guide designed to enable boards of trustees and presidents to lead their institutions through major crises. Terrence MacTaggart describes the kinds of crises common in the higher ed sector and offers practical advice to boards and leaders on how to anticipate crises before they occur, how to prepare for the unavoidable ones, and how to navigate crises once they appear. And as his use of illustrative cases makes clear—they will inevitably appear. Ultimately, the key takeaway: Make the best use of a crisis to build a more alert, sensitive, and resilient board and leadership culture moving forward.