Can you really prepare for a crisis?
As someone who has managed several organizational crises, I am often this asked this question, and the answer is a resounding yes. The more salient question is why should organizations take the time to prepare and how should they go about it?
With the advancement of technology, the instant dissemination of information, and a more global market with multiple, interconnected, stakeholders in an organization’s operations, the opportunities for an unexpected negative event have increased. This context alone should provide the compelling evidence and rationale for being prepared.
But the other reason of course, is that many crises simply cannot be predicted (natural disasters, global pandemics etc.), and rather than scrambling about in a state of panic (which will on exacerbate an assumed state of panic!), wouldn’t it be better to implement a carefully considered and previously approved plan?
Using the time before a crisis occurs is essential, not only because doing so will mitigate the damage that a crisis can create, but because when one does arise, the atmosphere will be marked by emotions that run high, a pace that will be unimaginably fast, and a thirst for information and action that will be unquenchable.
Here are my top five lessons from the field that will enable you to be proactive, responsive, focused and consistent when a crisis occurs:
(1) Decide which employees will comprise the crisis management team. Many organizations assume this team should only include the most senior leaders. However, identifying different subject matter experts is also an important consideration.
(2) Establish roles and responsibilities. Everyone on the crisis management team should have a distinct role and responsibility so the team can work quickly and effectively without confusion as a barrier.
(3) Determine decision rights. It’s critical that there is clarity upfront on who can make what decisions when a crisis occurs. When the atmosphere described above engulfs your organization, this is the least ideal time to start a conversation about decision rights.
(4) Align on the review and approval process for communications and map your channels. At a minimum, the review and approval process should include someone from legal, HR and communications, but the President or CEO should have the final word. You should also consider others in this process if you operate within a global organization. In terms of channels, think broadly about both traditional channels (public announcement system, 1-800 lines, intranets etc.) and more contemporary channels and platforms such as social media, websites, Whatsapp etc.).
(5) Create a stakeholder map. Undertake a thoughtful and comprehensive list of stakeholders who might be impacted by a crisis. Even in the absence of knowing what that crisis is, you can identify all those who might have a vested interest in the crisis because its impact on them as individuals or their organizations. You can also identify which stakeholders you may need to call upon to help you manage the crisis. These stakeholders should be documented by name, their contact information included, and the proposed channel for reaching them (e.g. email, phone call, website, Webex etc.).
While pursuing the steps above will certainly put you in good stead should a crisis occur, there are two other areas of focus that must be considered. The first is to undertake repeated desktop simulations of your crisis plan. Staging a ‘dress rehearsal’ before you take the stage in the spotlight is invaluable in helping pressure test the strength of your plan. It will help identify what’s working well and where there are possible gaps before you need to implement your response. The benefits of such additional preparation are invaluable as supported by a survey published by Forbes.com earlier this year. It found that 84% of business leaders who have been through a crisis said they would increase practicing in advance.
The second area – and it is integral to any crisis management plan – is crisis communications. Yet in the same survey on Forbes.com, less than half of the U.S. companies said they have a formal crisis communication plan and almost a quarter (23%) said they don’t have one at all or are not confident they have one. The fact is, you can have the most concise and compelling messages written down, but if you don’t have spokespeople effectively trained to deliver difficult messages in an impactful manner, your communications could derail your entire crisis response efforts.
In the end, there are many factors and events that are outside the control of any organization. At the same time, leaders don’t need to sit idle wondering (and likely worrying) about how they and their organizations will react should a crisis emerge. There are many meaningful steps you can take ahead of time if you choose to prioritize planning and preparedness over panic and disorganization.