Another Handful of Tips 52 – Crisis Management

The five best tips to prepare for an unexpected crisis

All organisations must be prepared for a sudden disaster, accident or emergency.

Today with modern technology, news spreads at a rapid pace. Disasters make good stories and every journalist wants a scoop which could threaten the business of an organisation.

Unless an emergency is handled with speed and accuracy the reputation of a business could be badly damaged.

1. Be prepared

It pays to be prepared for any unexpected crisis.

List all the possible disasters that could occur to lives, property and the environment that could be associated with your business. Consider fire, recalls of products, accidents to employees, theft and accounting errors etc.

“What should we do if……..?”

2. Devise procedures

Consult team leaders about all possible emergency situations.

Document procedures to follow after a sudden crisis situation.

All employees must be informed of their responsibilities and understand what they should do in each type of emergency.

3. Train staff

Carry out simulated exercises periodically.

Carry them out unexpectedly from time to time.

4. Keep directories updated

Make someone responsible for keeping crisis directories updated at all times with the latest names and contact numbers of who to contact in an emergency.

5. Communication is vital

Train communication teams well. They must be honest and open with the media and make full use of the social media.

They must keep the staff, clients and the public fully informed as soon as possible.

Keep the staff informed first.

Appoint one spokesperson to avoid confusing messages.

QUESTION

What other things should management consider during a crisis?

Geoffrey Moss
http://www.mossassociates.co.nz

“After a crisis don’t look for scapegoats – look for ways to improve systems.”