Crisis communication

It’s great to expect the best, but equally good to be prepared for the worst. Optimistic organizations tend to see opportunities more often; but it might not be an intelligent idea to think that nothing ever can go wrong. Right from natural calamities to labour uproars, things can mess up beyond control and it’s natural for people to worry. But a Crisis plan comes to the rescue and will ensure that you respond rather than react in these situations. Here are some suggestions that can help you plan better and handle crisis properly.

A good Crisis Communication Plan should ideally begin with a panel of experts who can identify & brainstorm upon the potential (even most unlikely) threats; and then create a highly specific plan of how to act upon it. Identify people within the company who have exposure/education related to Communications and/or good public speaking skills and ensure that one of them is always available in case of an emergency. It’s always good to partner with institutes, consultancies or subject matter experts who can provide the best advice available in these situations and also act as a spokesperson if needed. Above all, test the plan not just once, but from time to time so you are assured that your team is capable of handling emergencies besides maintaining an updated record of the contact information for all members in and outside the company.

In times of crisis, a proactive approach should be taken especially while dealing with the media; face them with confidence and even better, keep them informed in advance of the accurate information before someone else takes a negative advantage. It is good to have more than one communication medium just in case the first fails due to natural reasons or is not accessible to a particular section of people who are needed to be informed. It’s your company after all, and even if you are not ‘Responsible’ for something that went wrong, you are expected to be ‘Accountable’ to the outside world in the best possible manner.