“Why Do People React the Way They Do in a Crisis? ”

Imagine you're at work when something terrible happens — there's blood, possibly even bodies on the ground. No one has formal training in how to respond, and you're shocked by how people around you ARE reacting. Some behaviours might seem strange, even frustrating. So, what now? 

Understanding Crisis Responses 

In a crisis, people typically respond in one of three ways — and all of them are normal. It’s important to remember that you can never truly predict how someone will react until the moment arrives. Often, the people you expect to be calm under pressure aren’t, and others surprise you with how they step up. 

Here are the most common instinctive reactions: 

• Fight 
  This person feels the need to do something — anything. Their actions might not be particularly helpful or safe, and they may raise their voice or even become physical. In emergency services, this is sometimes described as “head off, cabbage on” — when even a highly trained individual rushes into danger or makes a serious error, like walking into live traffic or putting a tool into a helicopter blade. 

• Flight 
  These people instinctively remove themselves from the situation. You’ll see them walking away, throwing up, or leaving the scene altogether — for example, running from a car crash. 

• Freeze 
  This response can look like shock or denial. The person might stand motionless or seem completely disconnected from what's happening — like someone frozen in place as a tsunami approaches. Some may faint or be entirely unable to act. 

• Fawn (less commonly discussed) 
  These people try to “make it all OK.” They might downplay what’s happened or become overly helpful in ways that aren't appropriate at the time — saying things like “nothing to see here” when urgent action is required. 

How to Help Your Team During a Crisis 

If you find yourself stepping into the role of an ‘Incident Commander’ — the person responsible for managing the situation — your job is to calm, direct, and support people in a way that matches their stress response. Here’s how: 

For the Fight responders: 

These people need to feel useful — but also need structure to avoid doing harm. 

Give them clear, practical tasks: 

• “Go get the first aid kit and come straight back.” 

• “Call 111, put your phone on speaker, and stay beside me.” 

• “Turn the equipment off and keep people out of the area.” 

For the Flight responders: 

They’ll benefit from being removed from the immediate scene. 

Assign them away-from-the-action roles: 

• “Go to the front gate and wait for the ambulance.” 

• “Go to the main office an let the Managing Director know what's happened.” 

• “Set up traffic management at the site entrance.” 

For the Freeze responders: 

These individuals need to feel safe and regain a sense of control. 

Support them gently: 

• “Head to the lunchroom with [Name], have a cup of tea, and wait for further instructions.”  

This gives them time to regulate their emotions and regain composure. Be mindful that they may feel embarrassed later for not having “helped enough” — be sure to check in with them the next day and offer reassurance. 

Final Thought 

A crisis can strike at any time, and there’s no guaranteed way to predict how people will respond. But you can prepare yourself to lead calmly, effectively, and with empathy. 

If you'd like to learn more about leading your team through a crisis — and how to support them in the aftermath — sign up for EASI NZ’s Crisis Leadership Training.