What’s the true cost of waiting until a crisis strikes? In this episode, Natalie speaks with crisis strategist and leadership communicator Stephanie Craig about the often-overlooked discipline of crisis vigilance. Stephanie, drawing from her experience in law enforcement families, political campaigns, and corporate turnarounds, shares how organizations can shift from reactive crisis response to proactive crisis readiness. The conversation unpacks the distinction between brand and reputation, outlines how leaders can build a crisis-ready culture, and emphasizes why clarity and trust are essential for strategic speed in moments of uncertainty. Listeners will walk away with practical ways to safeguard their teams, maintain innovation capacity, and protect organizational value when challenges arise.

[00:01 - 05:19] Crisis Found Me

• Why Stephanie’s upbringing shaped her career in crisis
• The importance of calm during chaos
• The significance of embracing discomfort to build resilience

[05:20 - 10:46] Redefining Crisis Work

• How Stephanie shifted her understanding of crisis roles
• The gap between risk management and communications
• What “doing the job right” really means in crisis prevention

[10:47 - 15:17] Build the Core Crisis Team

• What leaders overlook until it’s too late
• The structure of a core crisis team and decision-making models
• Simulations as a key tool for preparation

[15:18 - 20:29] Strategic Speed Through Clarity and Trust

• What clarity and trust enable in a high-stakes situation
• Ransomware example as a case study in unpreparedness
• The importance of clear protocols and financial readiness

[20:30 - 24:44] Making Crisis Readiness Part of Culture

• Why plans alone don’t work without culture
• Where Silicon Valley Bank went wrong
• What mid-level leaders can do today

"You can’t innovate in survival mode. Without preparation, the cost isn’t just the crisis—it’s the lost future.” – Stephanie Craig

Connect with Stephanie:

Website: https://kith.co/innovation-meets-leadership/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigstephanie/

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone empower their businesses through collaboration, innovation, and transformation by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.

Check Natalie's new book, SET IT ON FIRE: The Art of Innovation, available now at setitonfire.co

These are proven solutions to advance your leadership and innovation process. Check out our website innovationmeetsleadership.com, or connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.

Quotes:“A company’s reputation is 35% of its value. And the IRS even says reputation has monetary worth.” – Stephanie Craig

How can schools shift from drowning in data to making decisions that help students thrive? Otus founder and former educator Chris Hull joins Natalie to explain how technology in education isn't just about collecting more data, it's about making it usable. Chris shares how Otis empowers schools to act on assessment results, track student behavior, and support educators with AI-powered insights. He reflects on how the shift from fragmented tools to a centralized profile for every student can transform learning, drive earlier interventions, and tailor education to the individual, all while giving time back to teachers.

[00:01 - 04:29] From Classroom Frustration to Founding Otis

• How Chris’s early tech efforts as a 7th-grade teacher exposed gaps in education systems

• Why more technology led to more chaos, not clarity

• The significance of creating a “medical chart” model for students' educational journeys

[04:30 - 08:00] Why Schools Struggle with Innovation

• The importance of focusing on actual learning outcomes amid competing demands

• How outdated methods of measuring learning obscure student needs

• What resumes can teach us about improving student progress tracking

[08:01 - 13:46] Building a Full Picture of Each Student

• Why schools need data beyond grades: behavior, attendance, third-party scores

• How Otis simplifies tracking and reporting for overburdened educators

• The need for personalized plans that scale across the student body

[13:47 - 18:37] Real Insights and Impact from Otis Users

• How earlier identification helped one Florida district reduce absenteeism

• The importance of comparing teaching strategies and programs using real-time data

• What schools are discovering by layering AI into trend analysis

[18:38 - 23:54] Personalization and the Future of Education Tech

• Why AI acts as a bridge, not a replacement, for educator decision-making

• The role of Otis as a curriculum assistant in partnership with Discovery Education

• The importance of capturing and passing along learning insights between teachers and grades

Quotes:

“Our goal isn’t to be the innovation. It’s to enable the educator to be innovative.” - Chris Hull

“AI doesn’t replace teachers—it gives them time back to focus on what matters.” - Chris Hull

Connect with Chris:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chull9

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone empower their businesses through collaboration, innovation, and transformation by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.

Check Natalie's new book, SET IT ON FIRE: The Art of Innovation, available now at setitonfire.co

These are proven solutions to advance your leadership and innovation process. Check out our website innovationmeetsleadership.com, or connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.

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