I’m sure Boeing wishes the door plug on the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 plane hadn’t blown out mid-flight, causing a near disaster in early January. Similarly, The Silicon Valley Bank officials wish the bank had never collapsed, representing the largest bank failure since the financial crisis of 2008.
Unfortunately, crises inevitably happen to any business, even KFC in the UK ran out of chicken in 2018! These kinds of crises damage not only the business operations but also harm their reputation and very possibly stir a media storm of unwanted coverage.
No matter what your business is, being ready for any curveball is key. Whether it’s financial hiccups, operational glitches, cybersecurity scares, natural disasters, or labor troubles, you’ve got to have a game plan.
So, before anything hits the fan, take a proactive stance and prep for it by following these steps:
1. Risk Assessment
Identify potential crises that could impact your organization and assess the likelihood and potential severity of each crisis.
2. Establish a Crisis Management Team
Form a cross-functional team with representatives from key departments (communications, legal, leadership, etc.), and clearly define roles and responsibilities for each team member.
3. Create a Crisis Management Plan
Develop a comprehensive crisis management plan that outlines specific procedures and actions to take in different crisis scenarios, and make sure to include contact information, escalation procedures, and decision-making protocols.
4. Media Training
Provide media training for key spokespeople within the organization and ensure they are well-versed in delivering clear, consistent, and empathetic messages during a crisis.
5. Build Relationships with Media
Establish positive relationships with key media outlets and journalists. Provide them with accurate and timely information during non-crisis times to build trust.
6. Monitoring and Early Detection
Utilize social media listening tools to stay aware of online conversations and implement a system for monitoring potential issues and early detection of emerging crises.
7. Prepared Statements and Holding Statements
Develop template statements for common crisis scenarios, and have holding statements ready to acknowledge awareness while gathering more information.
8. Internal Communication Plan
Establish a plan for internal communication to keep employees informed during a crisis and ensure that employees know their role in the communication process.
9. Social Media and Online Presence
Clearly define who will be responsible for responding to online comments and posts and develop a strategy for managing social media during a crisis.
10. Legal Considerations
Consult with legal experts to ensure that all communications comply with legal requirements and have strategies for addressing potential legal issues.
11. Simulation Exercises
Conduct crisis simulation exercises regularly to test the effectiveness of your plan, identify areas for improvement, and update the plan accordingly. In my experience, this is usually the fun part so enjoy it.
12. Continuous Review and Update
Regularly review and update your crisis communication plan to reflect changes in the organization, industry, or external environment, ensuring that the plan remains relevant and effective.
Eventually, when a crisis hits, swiftly acknowledge the issue, and start gathering accurate information. Consistently and transparently update all involved stakeholders on the findings and how you’re dealing with the crisis. Show your compassion and empathy with those affected and never get into a blame game.
When effective crisis management is executed skillfully, it has the potential to mitigate harm and restore an organization’s reputation in a brief period.