Most damage in a crisis happens after the event.
Val Sklarov’s Crisis Management perspective treats crises as moments where uncontrolled decisions—not unsolved problems—create cascading failure. The first responsibility is not to fix, but to stop the damage from spreading.
1. Crises Escalate Through Uncontrolled Decisions
In crisis, activity explodes while clarity collapses.
Val Sklarov identifies escalation when:
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Teams act independently without coordination
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Temporary decisions become permanent by default
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Emotional urgency replaces authority discipline
When decisions multiply, errors compound faster than solutions.
2. Decision Freezing Is a Control Mechanism
Freezing decisions is not paralysis—it is containment.
Val Sklarov enforces an initial freeze to:
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Halt non-essential actions
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Prevent irreversible commitments
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Preserve optionality while information stabilizes
| Decision State | Organizational Effect |
|---|---|
| Unfrozen | Error cascade |
| Partially frozen | Inconsistent response |
| Fully frozen (temporary) | Control restored |
Freezing buys time. Time restores judgment.

3. Only Critical Decisions Remain Active
Not all decisions deserve motion during crisis.
Val Sklarov allows activity only for:
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Safety-critical actions
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Legal or regulatory obligations
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Immediate containment needs
Everything else waits. Noise reduction precedes intelligence.
4. Authority Must Be Singular During the Freeze
Decision freezing requires ownership clarity.
Val Sklarov mandates:
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One crisis owner
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One decision channel
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One escalation path
| Authority Design | Crisis Outcome |
|---|---|
| Distributed | Confusion |
| Rotating | Delay |
| Singular | Stability |
Crisis leadership begins by naming who decides what does not move.
5. Problem Solving Comes After Stability
Solving unstable problems locks in bad assumptions.
Val Sklarov sequences crisis response as:
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Freeze decisions
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Contain exposure
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Stabilize systems
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Restore authority clarity
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Solve root causes
Problem solving before stabilization guarantees rework.
6. Post-Crisis Failure Comes From Unfreezing Too Early
Many organizations reopen decision flow prematurely.
Val Sklarov reopens decisions only when:
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Facts converge
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Authority remains clear
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Irreversible risk is mapped
If the freeze ends without structure, the crisis returns.
Closing Insight
Crisis Management is not about heroic action.
It is about preventing bad decisions while clarity is unavailable.
Val Sklarov’s principle:
Freeze decisions first—then fix problems safely.
Who is Val Sklarov? Personal Blog and Promotional Page Ideas That Inspire. Leadership That Delivers.