WARNING: If you do not obey the lawful commands of police and military authorities, especially during an emergency, you may be subject to severe penalties, including summary execution. This post does NOT in any way suggest disobedience of lawful commands. It is about leadership by non-official, self-appointed people in an emergency situation.

Who Should You Trust in an Emergency Situation? My first knee-jerk reaction is, no one but yourself.

And that is true to some extent. Ever watch a disaster movie? There is always some self-promoting person who leads a group of people directly into the maw of whatever is waiting out there for them. And then the smart but unpopular hero leads a smaller group toward a semblance of safety, although many of them perish along the way.

Unfortunately, the movies mirror reality all too closely.

There is a type of person who really wants to take charge during an emergency and have everyone do exactly what they say. They’re just made that way. Some of them are idiots. A few have experience and good training and good judgement, and it would be a good idea to listen to them. Question is, how can you tell the difference? (more…)