EMS Discussion - EMS Leadership During A Time Of Outrage

The Challenge

Today’s EMS Leaders face more than operational demands - they must also navigate a world shaped by public outrage, political division, and social media amplification.

Every statement, policy, or silence can be scrutinized, criticized, or misinterpreted. Balancing staff expectations, public trust, and professional neutrality is harder than ever.

Why It Matters

Outrage culture can fracture teams, erode trust, and distract from the mission. In EMS, where teamwork and composure are essential, strong leadership in emotionally charged times is critical for morale, credibility, and community confidence.

Core Leadership Strategies

1. Anchor in Mission and Human Impact

• Ground decisions in your agency’s purpose: serving patients and protecting the public.
• Ask: Does this issue directly affect our people, patients, or mission?
• Avoid performative responses that distract from care delivery or operational priorities.

2. Foster Respectful Dialogue

• Create safe spaces for staff to share views without fear of retaliation.
• Set clear boundaries (no hate speech, no harassment) but allow for conversation.
• Model Civility - leaders must demonstrate what respectful disagreement looks like.

3. Engage Employees in Decision-Making

• Don’t respond impulsively to every trending issue.
• Use consistent criteria to decide which issues merit an organizational response.
• Let your workforce have a voice in shaping those priorities.

4. Lead with Consistency and Integrity

• Match public words with internal actions.
• Empty statements damage credibility — authenticity builds trust.
• Ensure policies, behaviors, and culture reflect your stated values.

5. Build New Leadership Skills

• Today’s leaders need emotional intelligence, ethical clarity, and communication literacy.
• Equip your leadership teams with training in empathy, listening, and conflict navigation.
• Recognize that leadership in a polarized era requires as much heart as it does strategy.

6. Protect Leader Well-Being

• The emotional toll of constant outrage is real.
• Develop personal coping tools, peer support, and boundaries.
• “Presilience” - preparing emotionally before the crisis - is as vital as resilience afterward.

In Summary

For EMS leaders and providers, the path forward lies in focusing on purpose, consistency, and humanity. Not every social or political issue requires a public stance; instead, leaders should filter decisions through the organization’s mission and its direct impact on patients and personnel. 

Credibility comes from alignment — when an agency’s actions match its stated values, it builds trust both internally and externally.

Leading through outrage demands emotional intelligence, humility, and courage. It means fostering open, respectful dialogue rather than silencing dissent, and recognizing that empathy and transparency often carry more influence than public declarations. 

Ultimately, in an era of polarization, EMS can stand as a model of professionalism and composure — reminding communities that compassion and service remain the foundation of effective leadership.

This discussion piece is based on “Leading Through Outrage” by Shannon Gollnick, JEMS (Oct 2025).

Source:

Gollnick, S. (2025). Leading Through Outrage: EMS Leadership in an Age of Polarization. Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS).

https://www.jems.com/exclusives/leading-through-outrage/