In a global environment that is increasingly characterised by unpredictability and complexity, leaders are often thrown into highly stressful situations such as natural or man-made disasters, terrorist attacks, and major product failures, where they have to lead ad-hoc task forces or project groups to meet specific objectives within a short timeline. This study examines how leaders manage relationships and civility with team members in high-stress situations. Both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected to understand critical issues that leaders must deal with when managing crisis situations.