There are two types of organizations: those who have experienced a crisis and those who will.
This old proverb of public relations may need to be updated for 2022 as the global events of the last two years have left no sector untouched by upheaval.
For example, the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine is having global ripple effects no company or organization could have predicted. While every type of crisis can’t be predicted, there are ways in which your company can maintain, or even build, greater trust in what has been dubbed by many to be, “unprecedented times.”
Take it from us, we know from experience that the worst time to strategize for how you’ll respond to a crisis is in the middle of the storm.
Why You Can Trust Us.
At Xenophon Strategies, our team brings more than 20 years of crisis management experience to the table. We’re proud to say we’ve worked on every major aviation accident in the U.S. since 2000 along with life-changing natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, product recalls and significant media scandals.
Crisis communications is our thing. We work to ensure companies, non-profits, associations, and organizations of the like are prepared for anything.
The World Has Changed – Here’s What You Need to Know.
If you examine your crisis management plan with fresh eyes, you will likely find far more is expected of you by stakeholders than when you last visited your emergency plan. 2022 hot topics like sustainability, work from home policies, COVID guidelines and mandates, and more, all need to be factored into your plan.
The world has significantly changed, and people now expect more from businesses. Employees and customers increasingly expect businesses to do better, stand for something more than profits, and operate and communicate with transparency.
The Public Relations Society of America
How to Get Your Plan Up to 2022 Standards.
- Create a crisis team: Identify key leaders from each segment of your organization. Make sure to pull members representing different sectors, including operations, communications, finance, human resources, and senior leadership. These individuals will form the basis of your crisis management team and they’ll provide a diverse set of perspectives able to speak to the impact of various strategies on the divisions they oversee.
- Perform an audit: Interview your newly formed crisis team to collect invaluable information on what current processes are and are not working and understand how they will be utilized during a crisis. The gaps will emerge quickly. You’ll want to carefully assess your company’s current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). “In-depth interviews” (as we like to call them) are perfect opportunities to ask those questions always at the back of your mind (and finally get concrete answers!)
- Draft a plan: When organizing data and key takeaways from interviews you’ll find those blind spots that previously went unnoticed in your organization become immediately clear. What weaknesses and threats have you not thought through or are currently vulnerable to?
- Hold a training: Once a plan is in place, you’ll want to hold a training session. Include your crisis management team and key leaders from across your organization to ensure everyone is ready to kick that plan into high gear in the event of an emergency. These can take a form more closely resembling a meeting or a full day simulation.
The Work Begins Now.
We understand if this all sounds a tad overwhelming. It can and likely will be a long process of careful analysis, assessment, and planning. But in the event of an emergency, you’ll be thankful to have a fire-tested plan in your back pocket, ready to guide your organization through the storm.