Why You Should Always Do an After Action Review—Especially After a Disaster

Most teams only do After Action Reviews (AARs) after something goes well.
They celebrate the wins. Unpack what worked. Give each other high-fives.

But the real value of an AAR shows up after the disaster.
That’s when it matters most. That’s when the growth begins.

What is an After Action Review?

An AAR is a structured conversation that helps teams learn from experience. It answers four basic questions:

Originally used by the military, the AAR has been adopted by high-performance teams in business, health care, emergency response, and even elite sports. It’s a fast, powerful way to turn experience into strategy. Wharton Business School has a great overview of the tool.

When the storm hits, lean in—don’t shut down.

After a failure, setback, or crisis, the natural response is avoidance.
“Let’s just move on.”
“Too soon.”
“Not the right time.”

Here’s the truth: Avoiding reflection just guarantees you’ll repeat the pain.

Post-crisis AARs are harder. But they’re also more essential.

And when done right, they don't just fix the process. They rebuild culture. Trust. Resilience.

How to run a Post-Crisis AAR

Here’s a basic template, with a human-first spin. I use this in business coaching with leaders who’ve just weathered a storm.

1. What happened—really?
Allow space for emotional truth. Don’t sugarcoat. Don’t spin. Just get honest.

2. What did we do well—despite the mess?
Find the gold in the ashes. Who stepped up? What systems held? Celebrate those.

3. What fell apart—and why?
Be clear, not cruel. Look at structures, decisions, communication gaps—not just people.

4. What did we learn—and how will we act on it?
This is where strategy meets growth. It’s not enough to feel the pain. Use it.

5. What values showed up—or got lost?
Use your values lens: Were you living your truth? Your team's culture? Or chasing someone else’s playbook?

Why bother?

Because smart people who reflect on failure fail forward.
Everyone else just fails.

Because your people are watching.
How you respond to a crisis says more than any vision statement ever could.

And because the hard moments are your best teachers—if you’re willing to listen.

Don’t just survive the disaster. Learn from it—so you don’t have to survive it twice.

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Adam Kreek founded ViDA to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.

Kreek is an Executive Business Coach who lives in Victoria, BC, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle, Washington, USA, in the Pacific Northwest. He works with clients globally, often travelling to California in the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Georgia, Toronto, Ontario, Davidson, Saskatchewan and Montreal, Quebec. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a storied adventurer and a father.

He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen. 

Discover our thoughts on Values here.

Want to increase your leadership achievement? Learn more about ViDA Executive Business Coaching here.

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