Facing intense pressure from Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude, OpenAI initiated a "Code Red," halting side projects to refocus exclusively on improving the core ChatGPT experience. This demonstrates how external threats can be a powerful management tool to eliminate distractions and rally a company around its primary mission.

Described as "absolutely unflappable," CMO Laura Kneebush reveals her method is a deliberate process, not just a personality trait. When faced with a crisis, she intentionally pauses, listens to understand all perspectives, thinks about the big picture, and only then creates a path forward.

The CMO found the barrage of social media comments and unsolicited expert advice to be confusing and frustrating. He made a conscious decision to turn off professional networks like LinkedIn, allowing him to focus on hard data and lead his team without emotional distraction.

Your ability to serve clients depends on your internal team. Sales pro Steve Munn built strong relationships with his distribution center staff, treating them with respect ("more with sugar than you do with salt"). This rapport ensured they would go the extra mile for his clients during critical moments.

When facing an existential business threat, the most effective response is to suppress emotional panic and adopt a calm, methodical mindset, like a pilot running through an emergency checklist. This allows for clear, logical decision-making when stakes are highest and prevents paralysis from fear.

When hypergrowth causes you to fail internal stakeholders (like Operations), apologies are insufficient. Rebuild trust by going to the CEO and board *together* with the slighted team to advocate for a drastic roadmap pivot that prioritizes their needs, demonstrating true commitment to their success.

During the Sydney Sweeney ad controversy, American Eagle's marketing team intentionally remained silent, contrary to typical crisis management advice. This allowed them to assess internal data and let the negative sentiment cycle burn out, which ultimately proved successful as public opinion swung back in their favor.

Instead of immediately issuing a statement during the backlash, American Eagle waited nine days. This delay created a vacuum that was filled by other people and media outlets questioning the absurdity of the claims, shifting public sentiment in the brand's favor before they even responded.

During a campaign controversy, the CMO saw conflicting signals: social media outrage versus positive stock performance and sales data. He chose to trust the hard business metrics as the source of truth, giving him the confidence to ignore the noise and hold the line.