By Tori Sullivan

As we collectively witness an above-normal hurricane season that is actively disrupting industries from manufacturing to healthcare, we are reminded that any given moment, any and all business sectors can be impacted by a variety of issues—including those that can be forecasted, and those that are unexpected. No matter the crisis, it is important that organizations be prepared for all situations and factors, both internal and external.

No matter how prepared an organization is, the timespan while a crisis unfolds is often the most stressful, which often prompts leaders to react in haste and respond without thoughtfully preparing. We have found that these types of knee-jerk reactions are best mitigated by enforcing a thoughtful crisis planning procedure which ensures knowledge has been gathered and guiding factors are aligned to ensure immediate actions taken reflect the true nature of the situation at hand. To ensure an organization is well prepared when a situation arises, it’s crucial to have key items set in place:

Confirmed Facts

The first thing needed before making any decisions is an assessment of all of the facts at hand. In the first minutes after a negative event, all efforts should focus on gathering facts. It is important to understand how the event affects business operations and audience sentiment.

The most important facts to gather include the 5 W’s and H: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. An example of some of the facts to gather includes:

• WHAT happened?
• WHO is involved?
• WHERE did it happen?
• WHEN did it happen?
• HOW did it happen?
• WHY did it happen?
• HOW severe is the impact?
• WHAT immediate steps need to be taken?

These facts (once confirmed) can help to dictate the immediate next steps and strategy going forward.

Crisis Response Plan & Team

It is critical that every organization has a crisis plan and core team in place to manage response to a crisis.

The purpose of a crisis plan is to effectively deal with unanticipated emergencies to minimize consequences and to protect the organization’s employees, public, key stakeholders, while also maintaining the brand’s reputation. Developing a clear crisis plan and set of processes will prepare the designated Crisis Response Team to respond quickly and effectively, and to maintain as much control of the situation as possible and mitigate any subsequent impact.

The individuals selected to serve on the Crisis Response Team will each have defined roles and responsibilities, and be expected to be prepared on the extent of their duties. This is to ensure that the Crisis Response Team is willing and able to handle what is expected of them at what may be a chaotic and/or emotional time. It is equally critical that all management-level employees know who these Crisis Response Team members are, so information and inquiries are funneled to the right people.

The crisis plan should outline the roles and responsibilities of the Crisis Response Team and provide a framework for how crisis communications will be managed. The best plans should include prepared statements for different situations and audiences. These statements should be ready to use after an issue arises. This way, they do not need anyone to create them from scratch during high-pressure times.

Social and Traditional Media Monitoring

We can all agree that social media is a critical communications tool that allows brands to quickly and authentically communicate with their key audiences. In recent years, we’ve also seen social media become an avenue for advocacy from employees, consumers, and the public at large. While social media advocacy is a powerful tool that allows brands to share their values with their audience, it can also pose reputational risks.

It’s important that at first sign of a crisis, members of the team are tasked with monitoring not only social media, but also traditional media outlets for any resulting coverage or mentions that could elevate the situation or have unintended consequences for the organization.

By staying up-to-the minute on what is being said by external audiences, leadership and the Crisis Response Team are enabled to make the most accurate decisions.

Trained Spokespeople

It’s important that the Crisis Response Team agrees on approved spokespeople during crisis preparation. These spokespeople will represent the organization and speak on its behalf. Once identified, it is important to train these spokespeople on approved messages. They need tactics for engaging with the media. They should also learn how to lead by example. This training helps them act quickly and smoothly during a crisis, even with little preparation.

In our world, we must always be ready for the unexpected. We continue to prepare our clients for situations they can control and those they cannot. By doing so, we’re able position some of the leading organizations in their respective fields to operate as a well-oiled machine.