Planning for a Crisis is Essential. And It Comes with Surprising Side Benefits.
Planning for a crisis is something organizations may dread but still need to do. Because a crisis is unpredictable, it is better to be prepared than sorry. An organization’s reputation hangs in the balance of an effective crisis response.
The good news, building a crisis plan has side benefits. An issue audit can flag risks and vulnerabilities that can be eliminated or mitigated through administrative action, reducing the likelihood of a crisis event.
Another side benefit of crisis planning is strengthening teamwork. Crisis response is not a one-person show. It requires coordinated action to gather facts, assess the extent of an incident and implement a timely, credible response.
Too many organizations postpone crisis planning because it seems daunting and they don’t know where to start. Here is some advice on how to pursue crisis planning:
Issue Audit
Start by conducting an organization-wide audit of issues that can turn into crisis situations. Complete candor about risks and vulnerabilities is needed to inform competent and comprehensive crisis planning. To ensure confidentiality, issue audits can be conducted under the auspices of legal counsel. A third-party with experience in crisis planning and crisis response can provide a useful outsider perspective on assessing risks and vulnerabilities
Crisis Scenarios
Findings from the issue audit are then organized into crisis scenarios. Not all crisis situations are the same, which means their responses won’t be the same either. In addition to identifying risks and vulnerabilities, issue audit participants should predict the likelihood and consequences of specific crisis events. More attention should be given to very likely, high-consequence crisis scenarios.
Crisis Plan
The crisis plan has two main parts – preparation that is necessary for any crisis and preparation specifically related to identified crisis scenarios. The first section should list who is on the crisis response team and its leader, as well a critical call list, a crisis response center and crisis spokespersons. Crisis scenarios should describe individual crisis situations, how they could be triggered, go-to resources and background material that can be prepared in advance and shared quickly during a crisis event. A good example of so-called ghost content is an organization’s safety protocols, which could be shown in an infographic or a video. Planning for each crisis scenarios should be as granular as possible and regularly updated, especially if the scenario relates in any way to technology.
Crisis Spokespersons
The crisis plan should identify one or more crisis spokespersons. The job should be earned, not awarded. Not everyone is cut out for this demanding role. A spokesperson’s job is to provide timely, accurate and sometimes empathetic information to the news media, emergency responders and people directly affected by a crisis event. They need to know what to say, how to say it and when to say it. They also need to know what not to say. Intense media training is recommended for those filling the role of spokesperson. It’s their personalized form of crisis planning.
Crisis Drill
Many organizations wisely conduct simulated crisis drills that identify strengths and weaknesses in executing an effective crisis response. The drill can expose a lack of coordination or the absence of useful ghost material. The drill also can expose smaller oversights such as a crisis war room without enough plugs for computers and TV monitors. A side benefit of drills is demonstrating the importance of teamwork in crisis response and seeing how spokespersons perform in real time.
Placeholder Statements
Don’t waste time developing placebo statements. First, it’s hard to anticipate the exact circumstances of a crisis situation. Second, a placeholder statement implies you have time to form a real response. In a crisis, time is your enemy. You need to respond as quickly as possible with something responsive and credible.
Action List
One of the unsung benefits of crisis planning is identifying an action list to eliminate or mitigate crisis situations. Often the actions are obvious such as beefing up security systems, improving emergency response systems and coordinating with local emergency providers. A well-done issue audit can identify potential issues just over the horizon, which can be addressed more effectively and inexpensively in advance.
Regular Updates
No matter how good a crisis plan is, it can age on the shelf. Organizations change and so does their risk profile. For many organizations, an annual review of a crisis plan is adequate. For organizations operating in fast-moving lanes, more frequent reviews are in order. Check everything from updating call/email lists to reviewing available technology upgrades. Don’t overlook the obvious such as your designated crisis war room being turned into company lounge.
Measuring Success
Success is conducting an effective crisis response consistent with an organization’s values so its reputation remains intact or even enhanced. The ultimate success is avoiding a crisis situation by undertaking steps to eliminate or mitigate known risks. As the saying goes, the best crisis response is preventing a crisis.
