Thomas Paine once said, “Character is much easier to maintain than it is to regain.” This fits in with being prepared for an emergency. Planning Maintaining a reputation can help your organization avoid a devastating loss. When the plan laid out beforehand is to admit any flaws and err in honesty, the credibility of what is admitted will gain more respect than when you try to back down.
Anticipation
How can management and decision makers control a crisis? The answer is simple. IN crisis can’t be controlled, but the Consequences crisis can be managed, mitigated and / or prevented. The first order of business is to know and understand the dangers that threaten the “business.” An effective organization must conduct a hazard vulnerability analysis that classifies threats. Facing threats against the organizational character should be one of the threats considered.
Many disaster preparedness programs consider traditional natural and man-made hazards, but one class of hazard that is often overlooked is related to business continuity, especially public relations. Public relations incidents raise concerns and, if not handled properly, can escalate to the level of a crisis. If the crisis grows large enough, it can threaten the very existence of an organization.
Crisis response begins with an admission
The most critical part of responding to a crisis is admitting that you are, in fact, in the middle of a crisis. Only at this point can the consequences of a crisis be managed. Following a predetermined plan of action and a set of organizational moral principles can guide the response. A public information campaign is activated that addresses the situation and describes what the organization is doing to rectify the problem, and a trained public information officer addresses the concerns of the media and the public.
How to be seen as receptive
* Be proactive in approach, viewing the problem from the consumer’s eyes.
* Don’t try to use problem science to prove a point.
* Do not use the engineering aspect to explain that the event cannot be repeated or that it is incredibly remote.
* Don’t try to use the facts as a defense.
* Remember that the public does not want to hear about science, engineering, or sometimes even the facts. The public wants to hear that you understand his concerns and that the organization views the problem from his perspective.
Manage and maintain character
Character management is easy when your organization has decided in advance to do the right thing. Warren Buffet once said, “First, clearly say yes no Get all the facts. Then state the facts that do to know. One’s goal should be to get it right, get it fast, get it out, and finish it. You see, your problem won’t get better with age. “
Preparing for a crisis allows the “if-then” thinking process to occur before a problem. Decisions can be made in advance, not under duress. Preparing to have an open and honest response to a public relations crisis before an onslaught of reporters and public scrutiny (when your legal counsel tries to persuade you to limit your liability exposure) will prevent senior management from going astray.
Waiting until disaster strikes imposes forces on decision makers that can change their perception of reality. “Groupthink it is a mindset within a cohesive group involving people who are so strongly seeking consensus that there is no realistic evaluation of alternative courses of action, “said Michael C. LeMay in Public administration: Confronted values in the management of public policies. “A drive for consensus at all costs completely suppresses dissent. “
Crises can easily become a groupthink phenomenon. With advance planning and decision making, you can prevent your values from drifting during the crisis. Follow Warren Buffet’s advice by engaging in public transparency that will save your organization time and your reputation. It’s easy when you’ve already established direction from the executive level to “do the right thing.”
conclusion
All aspects of a successful emergency response depend on planning. A successful outcome is achieved by doing the right thing at all times, not just trying to protect the organization from legal liability. Organizational character can be maintained if advanced planning and training ensure that all parties understand that it is the organization’s policy to be open and honest. This will maintain the integrity of the organization, ensuring that the organizational character is valued and protected.