Preface and Acknowledgements; Contents; About the Editors; Abbreviations; General Part; 1 Introduction; Abstract; References; 2 Facing Death: The Dynamics of Leadership and Group Behavior in Extreme Situations When Death Strikes Without Warning; Abstract; 1 Introduction; 2 General Observations; 3 The Sudden Death in a High-Risk Environment-An Interpretation in the Light of Sociology; 3.1 The Disruptive Potential of Death; 3.2 The Social Shock Absorbers of Death; 3.3 Mortality Salience and Mortuary Rituals-Sociological Aspects; 4 Interpretation in the Light of Phenomenology. 5 Conclusions and Leadership RecommendationsReferences; 3 Crisis, Leadership, and Extreme Contexts; Abstract; 1 Introduction; 2 Crisis and Crisis Leadership; 2.1 Evolving Definitions of Crisis; 2.1.1 What Are the Core Values at Stake (and for Whom) in This Situation?; 2.1.2 What Are the Key Uncertainties Associated with the Situation and How Can They Be Reduced?; 2.1.3 How Much Time Is Available (or Can Be 'Bought') to Deal with This Situation?; 2.2 Some Other Strands of and Developments in the Crisis Literature; 3 Core Leadership Tasks; 4 Relevance of Crisis Leadership Tasks to LEC. 5 Questions and Observations5.1 Proximity-Distance and Responsibility: Presidents and Mayors Can Be Extreme Leaders Too!; 5.2 Do Media Organizations Operate in Extreme Contexts?; 5.3 Hierarchical and Non-hierarchical Contexts; 5.4 Is Extremity in the Eye of the Beholder?; 6 Conclusion; References; 4 Team Leadership in Extremis: Enschede, Uruzgan, Kathmandu and Beyond; Abstract; 1 Introduction; 2 Extreme Conditions and Challenges; 3 Traditionally Required Skills; 4 Contemporary Demands; 5 How to Prepare and Facilitate the Leaders and Their Teams? 6 Conclusion: More Complex Than One Is Inclined to ThinkReferences; 5 Leadership, Morale and Cohesion: What Should Be Changed?; Abstract; 1 Introduction; 2 Theoretical Framework; 3 Hypotheses; 4 Methods; 5 Results of the Research; 6 Discussion; 7 Conclusion; References; 6 Leadership in Extreme Conditions and Under Severe Stress: Case Study Analysis; Abstract; 1 Introduction; 2 Characteristics of Military Leaders in Dangerous Situations; 2.1 Critical Tasks; 2.2 Individual Skills; 2.3 Changes of Scene-Peace and War-Demands; 3 A Framework for Examining Leadership in Extreme Contexts. 3.1 Dimensions of Extreme Contexts3.1.1 Location in Time; 3.1.2 Magnitude and Probability of the Consequences; 3.1.3 Physical and Psycho-social Proximity; 3.1.4 Type of Threat; 3.2 Attenuators and Intensifiers; 3.2.1 Psychological Resources as Attenuators; 3.2.2 Social Resources as Attenuators; 3.2.3 Organizational Resources as Attenuators; 3.2.4 Time as an Intensifier; 3.2.5 Degree of Complexity as an Intensifier; 3.3 Response from Adaptive Leadership; 4 Case Study: Reaction to an Armed Act of Terrorism; 4.1 Contextualization; 4.2 Dimensions of Extreme Contexts.