|
|
What are some basic steps to Crisis Management?
Home » Management » An Introduction to Crisis Management » What are some basic steps to Crisis Management?
To do it right, you really need to hire a Crisis Management expert (there are people trained in this area) to help you create a Crisis Management plan that specifically addresses your business, your potential crises, and the best solutions for your company. You can find oodles of these experts online, in the phone book, through your local Better Business Bureau, and through word of mouth.
In the meantime, you can get started brainstorming your business needs before calling in the big dogs. A simple plan to Crisis Management goes something like this:
Brainstorm possible crises in your company. Remember to address crises in all areas: financial, public relations, strategic, and natural disaster/physical threat. Include your team to help you brainstorm the most comprehensive list.
Rank these crises as most damaging to least.
Write down possible causes for each crisis.
Assess the damage. Will this crisis cause long-term or short-term damage? How severe will the damage be? Be specific, listing every adverse reaction you can think of. And remember, most situations can go one of many ways. Think through as many as you can come up with.
Identify possible solutions for each route.
Identify people who can help mitigate or eliminate the problem.
Search for positives in each potential crisis. What good could eventually come from each problem?
By taking the time to think through the what-ifs, and by creating possible plans, you can work more quickly should the need ever arise. Yes, these planning sessions take time—and that’s time spent on something you hope you never need to use. But should the time come, you’ll be glad you’ve brainstormed every potentiality. Just remember to be flexible; no plan should be hard-and-fast. Instead, use the plan as a guide to help you recover; your brain likely will be in panic mode, so a contingency plan can at as a guide to sanity during difficult times.
Related An Introduction to Crisis Management Articles
- What is Crisis Management?
- What are different types of Crises to manage?
- What are some basic steps to Crisis Management?
- What does a Crisis Management company do for you?