A crisis is a turning point which determines all future events. It is considered dangerous or instable. When the future existence or condition of a person, business or other entity is at stake it is very easy to focus on the impending effects rather than dealing with the actual crisis. Most people enter a state of hysteria and are unable to perform any activities that would improve the current situation.
Characteristics of Excellent Crisis Management
In a crisis situation, those that are not trained tend to panic. Panic only increases the already chaotic state of the environment. This is why it is necessary to have a prepared crisis management team and procedure in place before a crisis happens.
What are the keys to proper crisis management?
* Calm leadership
* Clear direction
* Precise and quick crisis communication
* Immediate action when necessary
* Well defined and properly executed crisis management procedures
All of these characteristics hinge on one thing. Crisis preparation will produce all of these components.
Preparation Begins With Accepting the Possibility of a Crisis
One of the steps involved in crisis preparation includes something as basic as discussing the possibility that a crisis can happen. This may seem silly, but people tend to think that bad things happen to other people. The fact of the matter is that if you or your business does not logically discuss possible crises and the best manner to handle them you will likely find yourself one day in the middle of a crisis looking for direction and guidance when you should be the one providing it to others.
Crisis Preparation Basics
The first issue that should be discussed once you have accepted the fact that a crisis may happen is to determine who will be in charge. There should be one person that will be in charge and one assistant that works closely and could take over in case of an emergency. While this person should not be expected to do everything, he should manage and oversee the responsibilities delegated to others. He should also act as the mouth-piece for the organization to the public.
This person should also be involved in developing a written policy of activities and events that should happen in case of a crisis. This policy must be professionally written, reviewed and agreed upon by all who are in authority or involved in policy development.
The next issue that should be addressed is crisis communication and corporate reputation management. These go hand-in-hand. A method or combination of methods of communication to provide alerts, direction, and convey necessary public information must be selected, implemented and tested before it is ever needed.
A crisis is not a fun thing to deal with no matter what position you hold. However, it is a lot less stressful to make decisions in a logical calm manner before the event ever happens than to attempt to make them under pressure. For your sake and the reputation of the organization that you represent, make sure that crisis preparedness is a project that you tackle today.
Why Are We Having More and More Crises?
It seems as if nearly every time you watch the news there are numerous reports of various crises all around the community and the globe. The fact of the matter is that you can not go a day without a report of a catastrophe. Things seem to be more and more negative all the time. Why?
The Role of Technology in Managing Crises
When a crisis happens, whether on a local or a global scale, people find out in a hurry. It is phenomenal how fast you can find out about an event that took place on the other side of the world. Often within minutes or even less people are alerted and directed about impending weather, natural disasters, fires, chemical spills, dangerous gunmen, or other crisis. In that situation, few stop to realize the technology behind these communications.
The Importance Of Solid Communications Channels During An Emergency
Emergencies occur as a fact of life. There is not necessarily any kind of control over whether the situation occurs, but there is a choice in how crisis management is handled. For an unexpected situation to be handled in a timely and appropriate manner there must be solid channels of communication.
