Critical takeaways Protests can be an effective way for people to make their point and they can be used against businesses of any size. Protestors have the right to picket your business but that doesn’t mean that they can break the law or interfere with your staff, clients or prevent you trading. Planning ahead, focussing […]
Critical Takeaways Individuals or families caught up in a crisis should engage a spokesperson to help them manage the media as this is something they are ill-equipped to do themselves. This course of action has some pros and to consider while making the decision and I address these here. The benefits of professional support – […]
Critical takeaways Crisis Leaders and Crisis Managers are different roles but both are required for crisis success. Understanding the differences between the two roles – and how they complement each other – will help build a powerful partnership Here are three key distinctions between the two roles to help you select and prepare the right […]
Critical takeaways Simulations are the most valuable planning and preparedness tool available to an organization and should be a routine part of every company’s training regimen. We are now investigating how to use simulations as planning tools to help organizations develop contingency plans and scenarios for future challenges. Outlined here are four principles to help […]
Critical takeaways ‘Shell shock’ is the effect of trauma on individuals leading to paralysis and an inability to think and act effectively. We see similar results in boardrooms where a crisis causes the company to freeze. Our formula for crisis success – Core Values + Chain Of Command = Speed – can help overcome boardroom […]
Critical Takeaways It is easy to attribute crisis success as simply being lucky when in fact companies have earned this ‘luck’ through hard work and preparedness. A concept in sailing is that of a ‘black box’ into which a Captain deposits ‘points’. They can then draw on these points to give them a little bit […]
Critical takeaways When asked about “high reputation” firms, one that always comes to mind is the outdoor retailer Patagonia which has a very high reputation due to its commitment and authenticity to its mission. You can learn a lot from Patagonia but don’t just copy their approach: a good reputation is based on being authentic […]
Critical takeaways The story of Noah’s Ark reminds us of the need to actually take action in response to risk. This story is quoted in a 1995 HBR article by Norm Augustine who lays out six points for crisis success based on his experiences in government and business. Despite the article’s age, Augustine’s six points […]
Critical takeaways Op-eds are a powerful way of telling your story in a crisis and should be in every communicator’s tool kit. Op-eds written by a committee will fail to make your points clearly. Communications should write the piece with input from the subject matter expert. This guidance note is based on our experience using […]
Critical takeaways Nature doesn’t have clear-cut edges and neither do crises. Taking an edgeless, long-term view of a crisis improves our ability to learn after an event and also helps us prepare and improve our actions beforehand. Here are five ways that an ‘edgeless’ mindset will help you better prepare and give you a significant […]