Crisis Optimist Coaching & Consulting

02/23/2026

Here's the latest from my Substack - just in time for spring-cleaning! https://open.substack.com/pub/crisisoptimist/p/the-art-and-spirit-of-releasing-clutter?r=6s1ip9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

02/16/2026

Finally got on Substack! My first post is on "Working with Limitations, Adapting for Success", found here: https://open.substack.com/pub/debneedham/p/working-with-limitations-adapting?

I saw a struggling fir tree sapling on a walk this week.

12/04/2025

If you’re a leader, you’re a coach - or could/should be. https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/the-six-principles-of-leadership-coaching/

Know how to coach others? Learn these principles of coaching and our leadership coaching framework, and be a better leader-coach.

08/15/2024

Empathy in communication in the crisis professions? YES! Rick Hoaglund interviewed me on the OnTopic with Empathia podcast a while back, and both episodes have now dropped. You can catch them here:

Part 1:
tinyurl.com/Episode37DebNeedham

Part 2:
tinyurl.com/Episode38DebNeedham

And if you are not familiar with the work of Empathia, Inc., check them out. They offer a crisis response resource every organization should be aware of.

12/11/2023

I was honored with a Public Safety Leadership award today. At first I hesitated to say yes, because I know there are so many worthy woman who probably deserved it more than me (maybe just a smidge of "imposter syndrome").

Then I thought back to how I got my start in public safety. As a little girl, I grew up watching the television show "Emergency!" with Johnny and Roy of Squad 51. I wanted to be them, but I didn't think I could, because I was a girl, and I only ever saw men in that role.

It wasn't until I was 20 years old when I saw a woman in a paramedic uniform. I thought, "hey, if she can do it then I can do it!" And I did. That's how I got my start in public safety, which set me on the path to be where I am today.

So these kinds of events, like the one hosted by AmPowering today, are important, because they give women visibility. When women are given the spotlight, other women look to them to see what is possible.

So whatever your role, whatever you do, you are able to inspire others to their own personal greatness. So step up, be visible and let your light shine!

PS: Please consider donating to www.ampowering.org. They are currently raising money for financial assistance to low-income families to pay for cancer care.

12/03/2023

Still fascinated by crisis leadership and the emotional intelligence connection. The YouTube link had broken, so I'm reposting this blast from the past.

Emotional intelligence competencies are essential to good crisis leadership. Here are four dimensions of emotional intelligence that are at the core of leadi...

12/03/2023

I am honored to be counted among all these other fantastic women!

AMPOWERING WOMAN LEADER IN PUBLIC SAFETY:
Deborah Needham

Deborah Needham has dedicated herself to public safety since she began her career as a paramedic nearly 40 years ago. She is now an emergency management director in the Puget Sound region and has coordinated disaster responses for the last 25 years. She responded to the Nisqually earthquake, the 2004 Mt. St. Helens eruption, the Hanukkah Eve windstorm, numerous floods, winter storms, landslides, fires, and recently the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a respected emergency management voice frequently called upon to brief elected officials, including providing expert testimony before the state legislature. She has been formally recognized by the Governor, US Forest Service, US Geological Survey, and the Association of Washington Cities for her efforts over the years.

Ms.Needham has chaired and contributed to numerous public safety committees in her career and also served a full term on the board of directors of Equal Rights Washington. Recognizing that disasters can impact diverse populations disproportionately, she uses her position to champion equitable and inclusive emergency management strategies. She mentors others in this approach and helps them find their place in the challenging field of emergency management. As an alumna of the Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy, she continues to support and encourage other women in their leadership development.

In addition to public service, Ms. Needham founded her own business, Crisis Optimist Coaching & Consulting to leverage her graduate work in organizational systems and crisis leadership, delivering leadership coaching, consulting, and training for clients facing intense challenges. She specializes in high stakes issues: navigating conflict and polarization, strategic planning, change, and crisis management. As a consulting partner with Sunyata Agency, Inc., she co-designs and implements DEI programs to build high performing teams.

Deborah’s LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/DebNeedham

Join us to celebrate achievements of Deborah and other women at AmPowering Global Women Festival on Dec 10 at Hyatt Regency Lake Washington in City of Renton, WA -- Government

You can buy tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/738091159527?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/31/2023

What a great story, reframing the “falling tides” of our lives as fertile opportunities.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw3w7ZRJuS1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

09/26/2023

Last week I was a guest with I. David Daniels on the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast …and, no surprise… I got to talk and , two of my favorite subjects! I even snuck in a little reference near the end.

Here’s a clip from LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/flourishdx_this-is-a-clip-from-episode-63-of-thepsych-activity-7110871038695002112-dkns

Or to download/subscribe to the podcast: https://www.psychhealthandsafetyusa.com/episodes/crisis-the-brain-and-decision-making-with-deborah-needham

And on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XxFaJeFcCDs?si=cCE07yOtHigRyDkB

05/21/2022

A very important principle to keep in mind if you are a coach or a manager!

05/20/2022

This is one of the principles behind by Edgar Schein, a book that radically changed my work interactions. Simply switching from making statements to sincerely asking questions I didn’t know the answer to transformed a difficult work relationship into a positive, productive one.

An interesting thing happens when someone shows interest in you by asking a question: the areas of your brain that are associated with pleasure and reward light up. That means asking open-ended questions of the people you care about helps them feel loved, cared for, and appreciated.

Not sure where to start with open-ended questions? This month's Love Notes newsletter includes a free download that gives you a game with plenty of places to start. https://bit.ly/30JWG2H