It is 8 a.m. on a Tuesday morning and the Director of the White House Military Office is on the phone telling me about a situation that is urgently un- folding overseas… SITROOM’S hus begins another day running the White House Situation Room – the Presi- dent’s 24/7 operations and information cen- ter. From my tiny office, I can see the deputy Tsecretaries of the departments of State and Defense arriving for a meeting. As they secure their mobile devices and head to the large conference room, I hear a buzz building on the watchfloor – something bad has happened. I step out of my of- HOT SEAT fice to overhear the chatter – a bombing in a foreign agencies), stakeholders (domestic response versus country – as the duty officers are reaching out to oth- international engagement), even time zones (impor- er federal operations centers to learn what is known. tant when planning calls to a governor versus calls to Before the team can send an email notification a foreign leader). about the bombing, the National Security Advisor Anticipating crises and having plans for how you calls for an update (based on a CNN report). The respond are essential to successfully leading through President’s assistant calls with an urgent request to a crisis. Plans help standardize responses and reduce connect the President to a foreign leader on an eco- pressures that arise by identifying initial steps to take. nomic issue. Since no two situations are the same, it is key that or- It isn’t even 8:15. ganizations keep thinking and innovating. During The Situation Room – actually a suite of small a crisis, questions of “who needs to know?,” “what rooms taking up over 5,000 square feet of space in would I need to know to make a decision/respond?” the White House – was established in 1961 after the or “what are we not thinking of?” keep the organiza- Bay of Pigs to provide the President with timely and tion engaged in the crisis to ensure effective informa- unbiased information. It is an information watch tion gathering and facilitate an appropriate response. and warning center for the White House leader- crisis lessons ship and the National Security Council staff. Situa- LESSON 2: Train and exercise. Who briefs the Pres- 5 tion Room staff provide the first official alerts about ident as a crisis unfolds? The military aide (milaide)? from Brunswick’s events breaking worldwide. We are the hub for crisis The National Security Advisor? What if the President maren brooks, management. The staff – mostly military and intelli- wants to make a call – who sets the call up? In both former Director of gence officers with backgrounds in collection, analy- real scenarios and in crisis exercises, these were of- the White House sis, communications and technology – spend one ten the tripwires for confusion: the milaide follows Situation Room. to three years assigned to the Situation Room from up on the President’s request by reaching out to the other federal departments and agencies. White House Communications Agency to set up a Leading the White House Situation Room pro- call to a foreign head of state without realizing that vided a front seat to crisis leadership and the ways the National Security Advisor has tasked the Situa- in which we prepare for and respond to crises, in- tion Room with the same call. cluding the operational, such as standard operating Training and exercises help socialize plans, gener- procedures and training programs, and the inter- ate creative thinking through worst-case scenarios, personal, focusing on relationships and leadership. and build trust and communications within and Lessons from the Situation Room demonstrate the across teams. Training and exercises are most valu- importance of these foundations. able when you test communications and integration across relevant parts of an organization. In a hier- LESSON 1: No two crises are the same. An active archical setting, it’s far too easy to simply relay in- shooter at a federal facility in Kentucky versus a formation straight up without context. By setting up terrorist attack unfolding across Paris. These events plans that avoid such stove piping, leadership can, in have commonalities – unfolding in real time, ca- the moment, more clearly understand roles and re- sualties, Americans affected – but their differences sponsibilities, and identify efforts that are duplicat- are important. Different partners (homeland secu- ed and those that are left unattended. Training and rity organizations versus intelligence or diplomatic exercises also provide feedback for plans, making
54 brunswick review · issue 17 · 2019 HOT SEAT
ILLUSTRATION: TOMASZ WALENTA ly, there isoften to nottime ensure- thattheinforma can sharemedia messages around theworld instant- where cycle themedia isdown to minutes andsocial you are leadership, before acting. In today’s world, before theinformation all leadership briefing or, if hours or even days to answer. what, how many, why –questions thatcould take – questionsanswering about who, story build the full the President. to Ourjob wasto to usethattip begin never we areport would thesource be share with of media.social But account media asocial would inNew facility atafederal ashooting of York from functions andresponsibilities.functions sure reflect current they structures, organizational whole story. LESSON 3: brunswick review When isunfolding, acrisis everyone wantsto have
First are reports indicators, butnot the In theSituation Room, we first learned
· issue 17
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2019
” TO BETAKEN.” ACTIONS NEED IS NEEDEDAND AS ARESPONSE EVOLVING CONSTANTLY INFORMATION IS IN ACRISIS, EVEN
the job athand. flict andsynthesizeflict asit information comes in. cal point (person or to organization) gather, decon- isto porting. have acrisis during practice A best afo- sources create confusion andcanbreed circular re- many cooks spoilthebroth, too many information in information a crisis. Inof the same way that too stand where we were inthestory. indicate that…”)to decision help makers under (for example, reporting initial press“initial reports asituation.tracking It alsomeantclearly caveating know people andlet information gather we were internal (both andinteragency) to partners with For usintheSituation Room, thismeantworking leadership,onstrate andtransparency. fostering trust haveand actions to taken. be is constantly evolving even asaresponse isneeded tion is accurate andcomplete. In a crisis, information low them into battle. fol their- teams, build teamswith will who will they ever notonly build to goodwill needs done be will to do- what candemonstrate theirwho willingness a phone the or getting Vice President coffee. Leaders ing upcoffee stainsinaconference room, answering the that isbriefing President; itis sometimes clean- also to do whatever to needs done. be Sometimes canrelythey on their leadership for top cover but leadership inacrisis.pecially Teams to need know tion. en afocuson facts. drivehelp follow-up,- thenarrative andsharp clarify a foreignattack against nation-state? Such details can warwould group inacivil engaged conducttribal an “does this make sense?” –does itmake sense thata dent happened. Orquestions strategic, canbe such as where anoverseas terrorist attack or domestic inci- questions tactical, canbe like understanding precisely standing or disagreement. For theSituation Room, confusion, andpointsof information misunder thesituation.ing of Asking questions draw helps out individually, share but alsothatthey anunderstand- makers thecrisis understand thenature anddetailsof LESSON 4: LESSON LESSON 5: Center and the Department of State. Center andtheDepartment Counterterrorism National House, intheWhite positions Washington,served office. Shehas senior DC in inBrunswick’s andaDirector expert counterterrorism and brooksmaren security isanational There isarelated theflow lesson aboutmanaging However, you must act. In acting, you can dem-
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