Keep Calm and Carry On: Managing a Crisis

Community Manager — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:44:00 GMT

The headlines say it all: Give Apple "F" in Crisis Management and Japan's Prime Minister Blasted Over Crisis Management. Crises come in all shapes and sizes: from natural disasters to management missteps to product failures. Fend off a tsunami of criticism by arming yourself with the tools to manage catastrophes before they happen.

Effective crisis management boils down to two criteria: the ability to make good decisions under enormous pressure and the capacity to manage crisis communications.

Looking for guidance on making decisions during those back-up-against-the-wall moments? We like the advice in How to Make a High-Stakes Decision. Tips include fact-checking your gut reactions and being wary of drawing on past experiences at the expense of underestimating current realities. Other wise counsel? Involving other smart thinkers in the decision-making process.

Weathering a catastrophe also requires the ability to navigate crisis communications with a sure hand. Communication missteps such as providing too little information or tone-deaf statements is like throwing oil on a fire: the resulting conflagration might well consume you. For must-heed advice read How to Communicate in a Crisis, a soup-to-nuts primer on navigating crisis-communications before the emergency unfolds.

What is the toughest crisis you've had to manage? How did you and your team navigate the crisis? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.

by Bradley Eggers

Beyond Folders : crisis management, communication

Keep Calm and Carry On: Managing a Crisis