ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the topic of “crews” within resilient organizations. The chapter begins with a case study from The Ohio State University which moved 12,165 courses to a fully online format in just three weeks in response to COVID. The communication, coordination, legal, logistical, pedagogical, and technological challenges were enormous. This example of a resilient organization highlights the effective use and application of crews, capital, a culture of experimentation, and exponential leadership. In particular, it underscores the effectiveness of crews. Crews are ad hoc collections of individuals who come together, act in service of a common goal, then dissipate. They are most often self-organizing and self-directed. Importantly, crews frequently act in opposition to past practices and the status quo. Crews are most often contrarian in nature. Crisis situations repeatedly demonstrate that effective actions and successful solutions are often very different than preexisting practices. The book subdivides crews into different types: Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs—and—contrarians and red teams.
