Ministerial leadership during crises
Think tank: Institute for Government
Author(s): Sachin Savur; Patrick McAlary; Tim Durrant
June 12, 2025
This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how ministers can prepare for a potential crisis and learn lessons in the aftermath.
Crises are among the greatest challenges a minister will face while in office. The minister in charge of the response will have to get to grips with a complex and rapidly developing situation, make high-stakes decisions about the government’s response, and communicate these decisions confidently to the public and other key audiences.
But despite the importance of crises in ministerial life, ministers often struggle to find the time to reflect on how they respond to them effectively.
This insight paper sets out the key leadership roles that ministers play during crises. It also looks at how ministers can prepare for a potential crisis and learn lessons in the aftermath.
This paper is part of a package of resources designed to support government ministers and their teams in responding to crises effectively, including a short ‘how-to’ guide and a practical crisis response workshop.
