5.7 Crisis management & contingency planning
Introduction - the difference between crisis management and contingency planning
Contingency planning: preparing the immediate steps to be taken by an organization in the event of a crisis or emergency.
Crisis management: steps taken by an organization to limit the damage from a significant, damaging event by handling, containing and resolving it.
Effective crisis management
Transparency
- This means being honest and open about the crisis, its causes - and consequences and what the organization intends to do in response to it.
Communication
- The way the organization communicates during a crisis can make the difference between the crisis escalating out of control and it being a minor setback.
Speed
- This refers to how much time there is to respond to a crisis or incident breaking in the media.
Control
- Keeping control of the crisis and not being swept along by events helps to present an image of calm and confidence.
Key steps in contingency planning:
- Identify the potential disasters
- Assess the likelihood of these occurring
- Minimize the potential impact of crises
- Plan for continued operations of the business