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Sonali Chandratilake, a seasoned crisis management expert and Emergency Management & Business Continuity Manager at the University of Canterbury, shares insights from 15+ years on the front lines of NZ's major crises (Canterbury Earthquakes, Christchurch Mosque Attack, COVID-19). Her unique perspective combines professional roles with personal advocacy (Cleft New Zealand). Discover her pragmatic approach to crisis leadership, emphasizing community connection and emotional intelligence.
In this episode, we talk about:
0:00 | Introduction and Guest Background
2:12 | Sonali's Unexpected Path to Emergency Management
9:00 | The SVA Experience as a Foundation
15:13 | Replicating Community Resilience in Organizations
20:08 | Inspiring Employees: Acknowledgment and Validation
26:59 | Transition to a Professional Career Path
32:17 | Balancing Professional Work with Volunteer Passions
36:41 | Challenging the "She'll Be Right" Attitude
41:51 | Real-World Community Preparedness Example
45:56 | Finding Champions and Leaders Setting the Scene
50:43 | The Evolving Role of Technology
59:51 | Social Media: Misinformation, Intelligence, and Trust
1:02:50 | Actionable Steps for Building Personal Resilience
1:03:49 | Book Recommendation
Key Takeaways:
Emergency management is deeply human. Community connection, built before crisis, forms the bedrock of resilience. While technology helps, analog backups are essential, and social media intelligence needs careful navigation. True leadership fosters self-sufficient teams. Emotional intelligence is key to effective crisis navigation and personal resilience.
Reference Links
Sonali on LinkedIn
Cleft New Zealand (donate here)
Student Volunteer Army, New Zealand
University of Canterbury, New Zealand
New Zealand ShakeOut
Book recommendation: The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
www.unbreakableventures.com
By by FixincSonali Chandratilake, a seasoned crisis management expert and Emergency Management & Business Continuity Manager at the University of Canterbury, shares insights from 15+ years on the front lines of NZ's major crises (Canterbury Earthquakes, Christchurch Mosque Attack, COVID-19). Her unique perspective combines professional roles with personal advocacy (Cleft New Zealand). Discover her pragmatic approach to crisis leadership, emphasizing community connection and emotional intelligence.
In this episode, we talk about:
0:00 | Introduction and Guest Background
2:12 | Sonali's Unexpected Path to Emergency Management
9:00 | The SVA Experience as a Foundation
15:13 | Replicating Community Resilience in Organizations
20:08 | Inspiring Employees: Acknowledgment and Validation
26:59 | Transition to a Professional Career Path
32:17 | Balancing Professional Work with Volunteer Passions
36:41 | Challenging the "She'll Be Right" Attitude
41:51 | Real-World Community Preparedness Example
45:56 | Finding Champions and Leaders Setting the Scene
50:43 | The Evolving Role of Technology
59:51 | Social Media: Misinformation, Intelligence, and Trust
1:02:50 | Actionable Steps for Building Personal Resilience
1:03:49 | Book Recommendation
Key Takeaways:
Emergency management is deeply human. Community connection, built before crisis, forms the bedrock of resilience. While technology helps, analog backups are essential, and social media intelligence needs careful navigation. True leadership fosters self-sufficient teams. Emotional intelligence is key to effective crisis navigation and personal resilience.
Reference Links
Sonali on LinkedIn
Cleft New Zealand (donate here)
Student Volunteer Army, New Zealand
University of Canterbury, New Zealand
New Zealand ShakeOut
Book recommendation: The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
www.unbreakableventures.com