Update your Emergency and Crisis Management Plans

If we fail to plan, we plan to fail.  No quote is truer in a crisis management situation.  The organization that does not have the time, money or skills to dedicate to crisis management may lose clients, products, services and even worse, staff.  To underestimate crisis management importance is like telling your teenager it is OK to text while driving because an accident probably won't happen.

An excellent model to use for emergency and crisis management plans includes both proactive and reactive activities at multiple levels within an organization.  In addition to the planning model described in the table below, role plays should be carried out regularly so that everyone can practice their respond and recover roles.

	Proactive		Reactive
	Mitigate	Prepare	Respond	Recover
Enterprise	How do we decrease risk exposure?	If we recognize there is risk involved, how do we prepare in case it happens?	What immediate actions must we take in all affected areas? What must be evaluated in non-affected areas?	How do we move forward to recover from this?  Debrief?
Department	How can the department prepare by informing leaders of the risk (upward communication)? And by informing individuals and sponsors?	Within our department, what are the multiple scenarios that could occur and how do we prepare for them?	Do we have the resources and who are they in case we must respond?	How do we move forward in this department to recover from this? How do we affect change with other departments? Debrief?
Individual	What can I do to make sure that my projects, meetings, etc. incur less risk? What must I learn, and share with my leaders, to mitigate risk?	Within my scope, what could happen and how do I prepare?  What other departments or resources should I inform?	Am I prepared to respond? Do I know what the enterprise expects of me? Do I know what the department expects of me?	How did I do? What must I learn so that I am more prepared for future emergencies?  How can I help so that the recovery is quicker and less painful? Debrief?

For additional help during time of response and recover, consider contracting with a third party supplier that provides expertise.  For example, read an article in the New York Times about the services that International SOS provided during the Haiti earthquake: 

 

For Travelers in Danger, Someone to Swoop In

 

For help with your crisis management planning, contact me.

 

Debi Scholar, GLP, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT

 

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Debi has the following designations:

· Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

· Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

· Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

· NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

· Six Sigma Green Belt

· Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

 

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