Narrator: On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 had just taken off from New York's LaGuardia Airport when it struck a flock of geese, causing both engines to fail. At a low altitude over one of the world's most densely populated cities, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger had mere seconds to act. Air traffic control suggested returning to the airport, but Sully, assessing the aircraft's lack of power and altitude, knew that was impossible. Instead of panicking, he entered a state of intense focus, calmly communicating his plan: "We're gonna be in the Hudson." His composed and decisive action led to a controlled water landing that saved all 155 people on board. This "Miracle on the Hudson" is a dramatic example of a leader navigating an extreme, high-stakes crisis. But what allows a person to access such clarity amidst chaos?

In their book, Deliberate Calm: How to Learn and Lead in a Volatile World, authors Jacqui Brassey, Aaron De Smet, and Michiel Kruyt argue that this ability is not an accident of personality but a learnable skill. They provide a framework for developing the self-mastery needed to respond thoughtfully, rather than react instinctively, when the pressure is on.

Narrator: The authors introduce a powerful metaphor: our behaviors are just the tip of an iceberg. What people see—our actions and words—is driven by a massive, hidden structure beneath the surface. This submerged part of the iceberg consists of our thoughts, feelings, mindsets, and, at the very bottom, our core identity, which is made up of our values, needs, and life purpose.

Consider the story of Jeff, a sales head at a lighting company facing a crisis. His industry is being disrupted, and sales targets are being missed. When his boss, Janice, confronts him, Jeff feels immense pressure. His habitual pattern, the tip of his iceberg, is to be the hero who fixes everything. He promises to turn things around, then marches out and puts intense pressure on his team, creating a culture of fear. This approach, which worked in the past, now backfires spectacularly. Trust erodes, collaboration dies, and the company's crisis deepens.

The book then imagines a "Jeff 2" who has learned to practice Deliberate Calm. When confronted by Janice, he doesn't react. He pauses, notices the pressure and fear welling up inside him—his hidden iceberg—and chooses a different response. Instead of making empty promises, he tells Janice he needs time to think. He then approaches his team not with demands, but with vulnerability and a call for collaboration. This shift, born from an awareness of his internal state, transforms the dynamic and sets the company on a path to innovation and recovery. To change our results, we must first look beneath the surface and understand the hidden drivers of our behavior.

Narrator: To practice Deliberate Calm, one must first recognize the environment they are in. The book defines two key contexts: the Familiar Zone and the Adaptive Zone. The Familiar Zone is predictable; it's where our existing knowledge and habits work well. We can execute tasks efficiently, relying on what we already know. The Adaptive Zone, however, is new, uncertain, and complex. In this zone, our old patterns and success models are no longer effective. Relying on them, as the first Jeff did, leads to failure.

The authors tell the story of Raymond, the CEO of an energy company. For years, he thrived in the Familiar Zone, leading his company through incremental improvements. But when the market shifted dramatically, he was thrust into the Adaptive Zone. His vision for transformation was met with resistance from his executive team, including two close friends. Raymond’s instinct was to avoid conflict and protect these relationships, a pattern that had served him well before. But in this new, high-stakes Adaptive Zone, his avoidance became a critical failure. His stress skyrocketed, his personal life suffered, and the company stagnated. He was caught in the "adaptability paradox": the very moment he needed to learn and change the most was when stress caused him to cling to his most ingrained, unhelpful habits. Only by recognizing he was in the Adaptive Zone and shifting from a state of protection to a state of learning could he make the tough decisions needed to save the company.

Narrator: Our reactions to events are not simple, direct responses to external triggers. Instead, the brain is a prediction machine that constructs our emotional reality based on past experiences and personal narratives. This explains why two people can experience the same event and have wildly different reactions.

The book illustrates this with the story of Reshma, a communications director, and Monika, her CEO. Reshma is presenting a major project to Monika for the first time. Haunted by a childhood of feeling overlooked, Reshma’s personal narrative is that she must perform perfectly to prove her worth. During the meeting, Monika seems distracted, checking her phone and the clock. Reshma’s brain interprets this as a sign of disapproval. Her heart races, she starts sweating, and her mind spirals into negative self-talk. The project is ultimately canceled after Reshma, operating from this fear-based narrative, asks for more time.

However, the book then reveals Monika’s perspective. Just before the meeting, Monika received a call that her daughter was in a medical crisis. Her distraction had nothing to do with Reshma’s performance; she was consumed by worry. Reshma’s brain, using her personal story as a filter, constructed a threat where none existed. By becoming aware of the stories we tell ourselves—a practice the authors call Dual Awareness—we can begin to question our interpretations and choose a more objective, effective response.

Narrator: To navigate the high-stakes Adaptive Zone, leaders need deep inner resources. The book identifies two critical foundations: purpose and recovery. Purpose is the "why" that anchors us. It's not the same as ambition, which is finite. Purpose is a continuous source of energy that provides meaning, especially during difficult times.

This is shown through the story of Daniel, a CMO whose company is in freefall after a competitor disrupts the market. Driven by ambition, Daniel’s response is to work harder and force his solutions on his indecisive team. The stress becomes so severe that he develops a thyroid condition. Through coaching, he realizes his ambition has run its course. He connects with a deeper purpose—helping others collaborate—which allows him to shift his leadership style and, eventually, find fulfillment in a completely new field.

Equally important is recovery. The authors introduce the concept of a "body budget," our finite store of physical and mental energy. When we are depleted from lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or chronic stress, our brain defaults to survival mode, making us reactive and poor decision-makers. The story of Alex, a high-energy executive who burns out trying to be a "superhero" leader, demonstrates this. He neglects his health, his family, and his own well-being until he hits a wall. Only by intentionally designing recovery into his life—prioritizing sleep, delegating to his team, and setting boundaries—can he replenish his body budget and lead effectively again.

Narrator: The principles of Deliberate Calm don't just apply to individuals; they are essential for creating high-performing teams. When team members operate from a state of protection, their "icebergs" collide, leading to blame, defensiveness, and gridlock. The key to shifting a team into a learning state is psychological safety.

The book returns to the story of Giovanna, the leader of a cross-functional team tasked with solving a supply chain crisis. The team is dysfunctional, with members blaming each other and failing to collaborate. The friction is particularly high between Giovanna and Latha, a leader from logistics. Their individual icebergs—their hidden beliefs and assumptions about success—are in direct conflict. An organizational coach helps the team build trust by having them share their "Origin Stories," which fosters empathy and understanding.

The coach then introduces the concept of psychological safety—a shared belief that it's safe to take interpersonal risks. Research from Google's Project Aristotle and Harvard's Amy Edmondson shows this is the number one predictor of team success. When teams feel safe, they are willing to admit mistakes, challenge the status quo, and offer new ideas. Giovanna learns to stop trying to force a solution and instead focuses on creating this safe environment. By doing so, she enables her team to have constructive conflict, unlock their collective intelligence, and ultimately solve the complex, adaptive challenge they faced.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from Deliberate Calm is that the ability to remain composed and effective under pressure is not a fixed trait but a dynamic skill that can be systematically developed. It requires moving beyond our default reactions by cultivating a deep awareness of our internal state, anchoring our actions in a clear sense of purpose, and intentionally managing our energy through recovery.

The book challenges us to stop seeing ourselves as victims of circumstance and instead become conscious architects of our responses. The most profound idea is the concept of a "Personal Operating Model," which asks a critical question: Are you actively designing your life—your awareness, purpose, energy, and relationships—to thrive in a volatile world, or are you simply letting the world happen to you? The choice, the authors insist, is ours to make.