SoundBridge Emergency Decision Protocols

Preserving Collaborative Culture While Enabling Speed

Emergency Decision Framework

Core Principle

"Speed when lives or business are at stake, collaboration when time allows learning"

Philosophy: Emergency protocols are temporary departures from collaboration, not permanent abandonment. Every emergency decision creates a learning opportunity to strengthen future collaborative processes.

Emergency Trigger Criteria

Category 1: Immediate Crisis (Act Now)

Timeline: Decision needed within 2-4 hours Authority: Single executive can act, inform others immediately

Examples:

• Customer safety incident requiring platform shutdown
• Data breach or security compromise
• Legal subpoena or regulatory investigation
• Medical emergency involving a patient using your platform
• Critical vendor/partner relationship breakdown affecting service

Category 2: Urgent Business (Fast Track)

Timeline: Decision needed within 24-48 hours Authority: Designated lead + one other executive, brief others

Examples:

• Competitive threat requiring rapid response
• Major partnership opportunity with short deadline
• Financial crisis requiring immediate action
• Key talent retention/recruitment decisions
• Market opportunity that won't wait for next meeting

Category 3: Time-Sensitive (Accelerated Collaboration)

Timeline: Decision needed within 1 week Authority: Abbreviated collaborative process

Examples:

• Product pivot discussions
• Major budget reallocations
• New market entry decisions
• Strategic partnership negotiations

Emergency Decision Authority Matrix

By Crisis Type

By Executive Role

Emergency Decision Process

Step 1: Crisis Declaration

Who: Any executive can declare an emergency How:

• Emergency Slack channel: #URGENT-EXECUTIVE-DECISION
• Text message to all executives: "EMERGENCY DECISION DECLARED: [brief description]"
• Email with "EMERGENCY PROTOCOL" in subject line

Step 2: Authority Confirmation

Primary Authority: Takes immediate ownership

• Posts in emergency channel: "Taking emergency authority for [specific issue]"
• Begins 15-minute timer for available input
• Makes decision within designated timeframe

Step 3: Rapid Consultation (If Time Allows)

Available Executives: Provide input within 15-30 minutes

• Quick phone/video call if possible
• Immediate response in emergency channel
• Text message with position if in meetings

Step 4: Decision Execution

Primary Authority:

• Makes and announces decision
• Begins immediate implementation
• Assigns follow-up responsibilities

Step 5: Post-Crisis Collaboration

Within 24 Hours: Full team emergency debrief Within 48 Hours: Process improvement discussion

Collaborative Culture Preservation

Immediate Post-Decision Actions

Decision Documentation

• Rationale Recording: Why emergency protocol was needed
• Input Captured: What consultation occurred, who wasn't available
• Alternative Considered: What collaborative approach would have looked like
• Outcome Tracking: How decision performed

Team Reconnection

• Emergency Debrief Session: All executives, no judgment zone
• Learning Extraction: What worked, what didn't, how to improve
• Relationship Repair: Address any concerns about bypassed collaboration
• Process Refinement: Update emergency protocols based on experience

Cultural Reinforcement Mechanisms

"Emergency Exception" Framing

• Explicitly call emergency decisions "exceptions to our collaborative norm"
• Acknowledge when normal process would have been preferable
• Celebrate when team successfully navigates emergencies together
• Share stories of how emergency decisions led to improved collaboration

Rotation and Development

• Rotate emergency authority to develop all executives
• Train everyone on emergency decision-making
• Practice emergency scenarios in quarterly simulations
• Cross-train so multiple people can handle each crisis type

Transparency and Learning

• Monthly review of all emergency decisions made
• Share emergency decision outcomes with full team
• Create case studies for future collaborative discussions
• Use emergency decisions as input for strategic planning

Communication Templates

Emergency Declaration Template

EMERGENCY DECISION DECLARED
Issue: [Brief description]
Category: [1, 2, or 3]
Primary Authority: [Name]
Input Needed: [From whom, by when]
Next Update: [Timeline]

Decision Announcement Template

EMERGENCY DECISION MADE
Issue: [Description]
Decision: [What was decided]
Rationale: [Why this decision]
Implementation: [Who does what, by when]
Debrief Scheduled: [Date/time for team discussion]
Questions/Concerns: [How to raise them]

Post-Crisis Debrief Template

EMERGENCY DECISION DEBRIEF
What Happened: [Situation summary]
Why Emergency Protocol: [Why normal collaboration wasn't possible]
Decision Quality: [How well did it work]
Process Quality: [How well did emergency protocol work]
Improvements: [What would we do differently]
Team Impact: [How did this affect collaborative culture]
Next Steps: [Process changes, relationship repairs needed]

Quarterly Emergency Preparedness

Scenario Planning Sessions

• Practice emergency decisions with hypothetical scenarios
• Role-play different crisis types
• Test communication systems and decision trees
• Build muscle memory for emergency collaboration

Protocol Updates

• Review and refine emergency criteria
• Update authority matrix based on team changes
• Incorporate lessons learned from actual emergencies
• Align emergency protocols with company growth

Culture Check

• Survey team on confidence in emergency protocols
• Assess whether emergency decisions are undermining collaboration
• Celebrate successful emergency responses
• Address any concerns about authority or process

Success Metrics

Decision Quality

• Emergency decisions achieve intended outcomes
• Minimal negative unintended consequences
• Faster resolution than collaborative process would have allowed

Cultural Health

• Team satisfaction with emergency decision process
• No degradation in normal collaborative behavior
• Increased confidence in team's crisis response capability
• Emergency decisions improve rather than damage relationships

Learning Integration

• Emergency decisions lead to process improvements
• Team becomes better at identifying true emergencies
• Emergency experience enhances normal collaborative decision-making
• Collective wisdom grows from crisis management

Red Flags: When Emergency Protocols Are Failing

Watch For:

• Emergency declarations becoming routine
• Executives avoiding normal collaboration in favor of emergency authority
• Team members feeling excluded or undervalued
• Decision quality declining due to lack of input
• Collaborative culture weakening overall

Corrective Actions:

• Immediately return to full collaborative process
• Team workshop on emergency protocol abuse
• Individual coaching for executives overusing emergency authority
• Revision of emergency criteria to be more restrictive