Tweet

Key Points To Consider When Managing A Crisis

Guest post by: Justin McKeown

Article Overview: Any business can find itself, without warning, having to deal with a crisis or issue. Such situations can have far reaching and long lasting detrimental effects, if not dealt with in the most efficient and controlled manner, deflecting as much negative response as possible. The process by which a company handles such situations is commonly known as crisis or issues management. Every organisation should have a procedure that is documented and established that is activated either as soon as a crisis occurs, or whenever possible, in advance of an issue or crisis arising.

Key Points To Consider When Managing A Crisis

What is the crisis?

What exactly is the situation with which we are dealing?

What is the worst scenario?

Think how bad it could get at worst, and be ready for it just in case.

What is actually at stake?

If the worst comes to worse, what will the organisation actually lose?

How loyal will the organisation's customer be - will they stay in bad times?

Is there more to come?

Could the initial situation trigger off a series of other incidents or announcements?

What are the audiences likely to make of it?

Step outside the crisis and imagine what it's like looking in from the outside.

What would we make of it if we were in their shoes?

What preventative action can we take?

Can we pre-empt the situation?

What initiatives will show that the organisation has acted strategically/responsibly?

How do we focus on the customers' needs - think what will reassure them?

What evidence can we offer that supports the strategy (market research or similar strategies in other sectors or countries)?

What are the likely timescales?

How long is the crisis likely to run - the initial burst and then all of the follow-ups: perhaps litigation, company repositioning.

Can we involve allies?

Could a customer or supplier put their head above the parapet on behalf of the organisation and give their endorsement to the organisation's position?

How can the crisis be contained?

Can the organisation undertake any other action that will put a lid on the speculation and so stop the "crisis" running out of control and turning into a drama?

Crisis Communication Planning: Organising a Plan That Works



Whether big or small, no organisation should be without a crisis communications plan.

Crises happen all of the time: it could be a fire, it could be a robbery, it could be a high-profile sexual harassment case, or it could be a major safety issue with one of your products. Whatever it is, it's highly likely that some kind of crisis is going to hit your company sometime in the next couple of years.

There are many aspects to being prepared for a crisis, many of which, frankly, are not worth preparing for in advance, either because of their low probability of occurrence (alien abduction of your entire management team), or the fact that many crises require more real-time attention that a crisis plan simply can't prepare for in advance.

But almost all crises have a consistent element, which you can, and we believe, must plan for in advance - how your company will communicate with the media during and after the crisis.

Why? Because how well your company manages the media during a crisis could determine your whether your company gets hurt, or even sometimes, grows as a result. Many companies who do not handle these issues suffer the ultimate fate - the death or reorganisation of the company.

The Two Elements of a Crisis Plan

There are two key elements of any crisis plan:

1. The crisis plan itself (how your company will deal with the issue at hand, to minimise loss and downtime.)
2. The crisis communications plan (how you will communicate with the press and the public about the crisis that is occurring.)

Many companies prepare one without the other. However, both are vitally important.

Keep in mind that most company crises never get reported in the press. Sometimes that happens because the story was not newsworthy, but often this happens because the company handled the situation skilfully enough that it never became visible to the media.

Other times, a crisis may be significant enough that it is both newsworthy and gets attention in the press. But that attention either lasts for a very short period of time, or it is so well handled that the company grows as people see how well they handled the crisis.

A key element in making sure that this happens is the development of a crisis communication plan in your organisation.

Even if you don't elect to create a crisis plan (not recommended, but most companies don't have one), it is vitally important that you put together a plan to effectively communicate with the press and the public when the inevitable crisis occurs.

In other words, an effective crisis communications plan may be the most important part of your crisis planning process.

Here is a list of crises that could happen that could be a viable part of a crisis plan:

• Government investigation • Controversial law suit • Accusation of discrimination based on race, sexual preference or gender • Product recall • Serious injury to someone within or outside of the organisation • Protest • Strike • Physical violence between co-workers • Theft by an outsider (ideas or physical assets) • Embezzlement, Insider trading scandal • Hostile takeover • Outbreak of food poisoning caused by your company • Death of top executive • CEO gets arrested for drunk driving • Natural disaster • Plane crash • Falling stock price • Major interruptions in service • Computer system crash, causing you to lose all data • One of your employees is accused of a high profile crime • Sexual harassment case • Fire, explosion, chemical spill • Dramatic downsizing causing significant job loss in a geographic region • Radiation leak • A major competitor has a huge crisis, throwing attention on your company • Caught in a lie • False advertising accusation • Celebrity spokesperson embroiled in personal scandal • Closing or relocation of a facility

Related Articles
  Golden Rules for Crisis Management
  Managing Crises Before They Happen
  Crisis - What Crisis?
  Do You Know Where Your Disaster Recovery Plan Is
  Rebuilding Your Finances After an Economic Crisis
  In a time of crisis, PR is your greatest asset
  What Are the Factors That Lead to an Economic Crisis?
  The Fundamentals of Crisis Communications
  Springer Financial Advisors President Keith Springer Quoted In The Wall Street Journal
  Economic Crisis Affects Our Coffee Production Industry
  Reputation Preservation in a Crisis
  Knowing Your Rights with the Media and Press
  “Crisis Management Planning – What’s Happening Where We Work?”
  Crisis Leadership Lessons
  Why Online Reputation Management is an Important Part of Your Online Marketing Strategy
  Leverage as the Cause of the Global Financial Crisis
  Crisis Leadership
  Crisis Communications Planning or What To Do Before During Or After It Hits The Fan
  Tiger Woods’ Unconventional Crisis Management Deserves An A Grade.
  Crisis Preparation: It isn't just for Fortune 500's

Article Tags: Communications, Crisis, Public Relations



Related Forum Posts
Re: HRPreneur - Evan, I am looking for new clients and to see if my business model resonates with Entrepreneurs. Thanks Joey Walters, CHRP, H.R.C.C.C. Managing Director HRPreneur Inc. C. 647-534-4774
Re: what makes you smile ???? - Robert, Great Points... To give vent now and then to his feelings, whether of pleasure or discontent, is a great ease to a man's heart. ~Francesco Guicciardini Regards Barry [quote="KH_Global":1wos0kzi]Try laughter meditation for 10 minutes daily. Just laugh and laugh. See how it changes the mood and emotions. If you know how to handle the feelings, then it is easy to manage one's own mood. Robert[/quote:1wos0kzi]
Re: Readers, Money or SEO? Which comes first? - [quote="WebBizIdeas.com":35az7o03]Hi Chris, Do you have any great PR strategies to share? [/quote:35az7o03] Be different. Its hard to promote anything that doesn't have strong Unique Selling Points. Read 'Purple Cow' by Seth Godin for inspiration and why good PR and promotion starts with a great product. As a publisher, our content is a significant part of our product lineup. Following that you need to reach out and network with influencers. I've managed to get mainstream press coverage a few times in the past, but I'm certainly not an expert on this though and I'm always learning.
Re: Hello from Bangladesh - Hello Kevin, Thank you for replying back to my message. There are many business goals for this year including but not limited to: 1. Managing long term partnership contracts from more clients. 2. Cross-border expansion - open our first overseas office at New York, USA. 3. Progressing smoothly to our road to CMMI certification. 4. Introduce a new service - call center operation. Best Regards Hasnaeen
Re: HRPreneur - Evan, I have a creative company designing my website. I provided all the content. I have developed a presentation I am using when I go see potential clients that has been working well. I have been using my network and LinkedIn to source clients. I have been targeting the industries that I have experience in, however HRPreneur can support any business from a strategic business HR perspective. Joey Walters, CHRP, H.R.C.C.C. Managing Director HRPreneur Inc. C. 647-534-4774


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Five Ways to Show Honest Appreciation

What I Really Want Is...

4 Steps To Hypnotize Your Business Prospects

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.