If an urgent organizational crisis or major executive resignation erupts 48 hours before our scheduled quarterly session, do we cancel the session or change the agenda?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

You do not cancel the session. Walking away from a scheduled quarterly session during an operational crisis is the exact opposite of what a disciplined leadership team does. A crisis is precisely when you need an objective facilitator, dedicated time out of the business, and the IDS® discipline.

When a catastrophic event occurs, we alter the flow of the session day to tackle reality head-on. We open the morning with our standard check-in, review the prior quarter's Scorecard, and close out completed Rocks. We do not skip accountability simply because the building is on fire. Knowing exactly where the rest of the business stands provides essential context for the fire itself.

Once we complete the retrospective, we reorder the day. Instead of spending extended time on tool maintenance or long-term vision reviews, we move the crisis to the very top of our Issues List.

We spend as many hours as necessary working through the problem. We identify the true root issue rather than reacting to panic. We discuss every hard, uncomfortable fact without defensive posturing. Finally, we solve it by assigning clear, individual ownership to specific corrective action items or emergency Rocks.

The primary mistake struggling businesses make is retreating into panic mode and handling a crisis through chaotic email chains and reactive meetings. Your quarterly session gives you eight hours of structured, focused problem-solving. Use it.