Crisis Leadership: Lessons from my son’s car crash

Content note: This article contains descriptions and footage of a car crash 

Crisis leadership isn’t something you learn from textbooks—it’s forged in moments when everything goes sideways. Last Sunday, my teenage son, Scott, took part in the Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb, finally getting to drive our 600cc motorcycle-engined Jedi Mark 4 after an 8-month upgrade.

This was his 2nd time competing in the Jedi at this challenging and historic venue, and in the morning’s practice he’d matched his personal best. But in the afternoon, everything changed.

He got a frustratingly slow start off the line, then quickly picked up speed and disappeared out of our sight round the first corner. Almost immediately, we saw the livestream on the big screen cut to “We will be right back” and heard the commentator deliver the sterile message:

“The Jedi’s come to an abrupt halt.”

He’d gone into a corner too fast, understeered, hit the wall, and the car flew into the air before flipping and rolling.

For a few minutes, time stopped around me.

Crisis Leadership in Action: The Four Essential Pillars

Thankfully, Scott wasn’t seriously injured. Once, we’d established that, the real work began, revealing the true nature of crisis leadership and teaching me lessons that apply directly to business leadership during uncertain times.

In that moment, everything narrowed down to a few essential priorities.

1. People first: the foundation of crisis leadership

Crisis leadership always starts with people. The safety equipment had done its job, as had the highly-trained and professional marshals, medical team, and race officials.

But Scott was bruised, sore, and understandably shaken up, and we couldn’t rule out the threat of concussion. He needed to be looked after—gently, calmly, and carefully.

There were painkillers and hot tea. A slow walk. Reassurance. Human contact.

2. Staying calm under pressure: Leadership when it matters most

Leadership in crisis demands emotional regulation when adrenaline is high. While my heart was still racing, clear thinking was essential. Our top priority was getting Scott home safely to Hove, four hours’ drive from Shelsley Walsh. Then we had to get our car, the wrecked race car and Scott’s road car back to our place near Canterbury.

That meant coordination and calm heads.

3. Leveraging your support network: Leadership isn’t a one-person game

People stepped up immediately. Family and friends who’d come to support him at the track helped us pack everything up. One of Scott’s friends kindly drove him home. Another stayed with him to make sure he was OK. We were incredibly grateful— and it meant that we were then able to focus on the remaining logistics.

4. Decision-making in uncertainty: The long game of crisis leadership

Next day, with yet more help (this time from the farmer next door), we got the wrecked car off our trailer and into the garage.

That was just the start. Over the coming days and weeks, we’ll need to:

• Remove broken parts
• Assess the full extent of the damage
• Price replacements
• Decide whether to repair or break the car for spares
• Build a plan (and a fund) for what comes next

This slower, methodical phase isn’t dramatic, but it’s where real leadership in crisis happens. You don’t need instant answers—you need steady progress through uncertainty.. And it reminded me of something bigger.

Crisis leadership lessons for business leaders

Running a business through uncertain times feels a lot like this.

You can be doing well—seeing momentum, even personal bests—and then something unexpected knocks everything sideways.

That’s when you need to care for your people, take care of yourself, stabilise the situation, and start thinking clearly. You don’t have to fix it all at once. But you do have to lead through it.

Which is exactly why we created the Clarity in Crisis Toolkit.

Structure and support in uncertain times

This free resource is for leaders who need clarity, not complexity. It draws on applied neuroscience and lived experience of working with UK SME leaders through tough times.

It focuses on six essential areas: 

• Mindset – How to stay grounded and in executive function
• Leadership – Keeping direction and steadiness when others wobble
• Finance – Making good decisions quickly, with what you know now
• Marketing – Staying visible without reactive guesswork
• Operations – Adapting systems under pressure
• People – Supporting your team with calm, confidence, and care

Inside, you’ll find:

• Tip sheets
• Checklists
• Mini-guides
• Real-world case examples based on the challenges many leaders face

And it’s completely free.

We can’t prevent crashes. But we can lead through them.

Like any crisis, leadership isn’t about instant answers. It’s about pausing, protecting what matters most, and working forward from there. So, whether you’re reeling from an unexpected hit or just trying to stay steady while the road ahead changes, the principles in this toolkit will help you respond with clarity, not panic.

Download the Clarity in Crisis Toolkit.