Crisis Management

952 Words2 Pages

A crisis can arise at any unexpected time. There is nothing worse than having a crisis that is completely unexpected of. One of the most important ideals for a crisis management role is to be prepared. If a company is unprepared in a time of crisis it can bring negatively-viewed perceptions their way (Schmidt, 2013, 16). Take Noah, for example. Noah built an Ark on dry land years before the flood, however, once the flood came he was safe and sound in the boat that people laughed at him for building. Noah was prepared (Edwards, 2013, 33). Too often, organizations are not prepared for a crisis and often times, this diminishes their reputation. This means that a company should never leave their reputation vulnerable to reproach, there should always be a crisis-communication plan intact. A crisis communication plan can help keep potential damage to a company’s reputation at a minimal (Stuart & Cohen, 2010). In fact, a survey conducted by the IABC reported that one in three companies would not be prepared if a crisis arises (Holland & Gill, 2006). The significant goal of a crisis-communication plan is to lessen the damage incurred by the complications of a crisis, meaning the damage done to the company and brand should be at a minimal. It is also important to uphold the company to maintain a secure and stable organization and business realm during the crisis. The company should not have to put their business needs on hold because of a crisis. The crisis should be addressed and the organization should continue to move forward. “One way to view the crisis-communication plan is as an insurance policy: something one should never need but can rest easy that it is there if needed (Stuart & Cohen, 2010). ” Practicing is a good way to help ... ... middle of paper ... ...risis before the company has a chance to make a statement. There are plenty of situations where the company knows about the crisis as hand long before the media and the public and there is so much that could be done before the crisis begins to spread. However, often time the company chooses a different route: to try covering it up instead of making a statement and admitting the problem. One simple problem can turn into a huge crisis simply by the media or public knowing before the company admits any problem (Braud, 2012). Crisis-Communication Plan A crisis-communication plan can make or break an organization. Poor communication in the midst of a crisis can lead the public to feel different emotions. The public could feel that the company does not care and could cause distress because they may feel the organization does not know how to solve the problem they created.

Open Document