How do you build a team in the critical first moments of a crisis? The balance between rapid response and thoughtful planning is delicate, especially when understanding what defines a crisis and acknowledging when you're in the midst of one. This conversation delves into the complexity of emergency team dynamics, emphasizing that the composition and organization of these teams are deeply influenced by their members' specific skills and contexts, with lasting implications long after the crisis has passed.

We introduce 'Name, Claim, Aim'—a straightforward, three-step framework designed to streamline team organization under pressure. It's about rapid situational assessment, clear role delegation, and setting concise objectives. The discussion extends to effective leadership in high-stakes situations, including establishing command, ensuring effective communication from the start, and striking the right balance to encourage team input without compromising decisiveness.

Exploring the subtleties of crisis leadership, we'll discuss the strategic balance needed for effective oversight and the practicality of 'Name, Claim, Aim' as a distilled version of more complex crisis management theories tailored for the immediacy of emergency care. The conversation will also cover the practical implementation of this framework, from team huddles to understanding the profound impact of the first few seconds on the trajectory of team success.

This episode builds on episode 115 - Zero Warning | Frameworks for no notice critical patients

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Guest Bio:

Lon Setnik, MD, is an emergency physician practicing in New Hampshire and the associate director of clinical programs at the Center for Medical Simulation. Lon is a Stimulus fan favorite. Here are some of his most popular episodes:

We discuss:

The tension between planning and action
What defines a crisis?
How do you know when you're in a crisis?
Teams are contextual in their skill sets
How you organize a team in a crisis has ripples after the event has ended
The three steps to organizing teams in a crisis: Name, Claim, Aim

How to Create a Team in 10 Seconds | Why time is not linear and every second not worth the same

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