Thomas Paine once said: “Character is much easier to maintain than to recover.” This fits in with being prepared for an emergency. Calendar maintaining a reputation can help the organization avoid suffering a devastating loss. When the plan laid out in advance is to admit any fault and err on the side of honesty, the credibility of what is admitted will gain more respect than when an attempt is made to back down.

Anticipation

How can management and decision makers control a crisis? The answer is simple. ON crisis cannot be controlled, but Consequences of the crisis can be managed, mitigated and/or prevented. The first order of business is to know and understand the dangers that threaten the “business”. An effective organization should perform a hazard vulnerability analysis that classifies threats. Addressing threats to organizational character should be one of the threats considered.

Many disaster preparedness programs consider traditional natural and man-made hazards, but one class of hazard that is often overlooked is related to business continuity, especially public relations. Public relations incidents raise concerns and, if not handled properly, can escalate to the level of a crisis. If the crisis grows large enough, it can threaten the very existence of an organization.

Crisis response begins with an admission

The most critical part of responding to a crisis is admitting that you are, in fact, in the midst of a crisis. Only at this point can the consequences of a crisis be managed. Following a predetermined plan of action and a set of organizational moral principles can guide the response. A public information campaign is activated that addresses the situation and outlines what the organization is doing to correct the problem, and concerns from the media and public are addressed by a trained public information officer.

How to be seen as receptive

* Be proactive in the approach, seeing the problem from the eyes of the consumer.

* Don’t try to use the science of the subject to prove a point.

* Do not use the engineering aspect to explain that the event cannot be repeated or that it is incredibly remote.

* Don’t try to use the facts as your defense.

* Remember that the public doesn’t want to hear about the science, engineering, or sometimes even the facts. The public wants to hear that you understand their concerns and that the organization sees the problem from their perspective.

Manage and maintain character

Character management is easy when your organization has chosen in advance to do the right thing. Warren Buffet once said, “First, make it clear that you don’t no know all the facts. Then state the facts that you do to know. One’s goal should be to do it well, do it fast, get it out and finish it. You see, your problem will not improve with age.”

Preparing for a crisis allows the “if-then” thinking process to occur before a problem. Decisions can be made in advance, not harshly. Preparing to have an open and honest response to a public relations crisis before an onslaught of reporters and public scrutiny (when your legal counsel is trying to persuade you to limit your liability exposure) will keep senior management from getting sidetracked.

Waiting until disaster strikes puts forces on decision makers that can change their perception of reality. “Groupthink it is a mindset within a cohesive group involving people who seek consensus so strongly that there is no realistic assessment of alternative courses of action,” said Michael C. LeMay in Public Administration: Conflict of Values ​​in the Administration of Public Policies. “A push for consensus at all costs completely suppresses dissent.”

Crises can easily become a groupthink phenomenon. With advance planning and decision-making, you can prevent your values ​​from drifting during the crisis. Follow Warren Buffet’s advice and engage in public transparency that will save your organization time and your reputation as well. It’s easy when direction has already been set from the executive level to “do the right thing.”

Conclution

All aspects of a successful emergency response depend on planning. A successful outcome is achieved by doing the right thing every time, not just trying to protect the organization from legal liability. Organizational character can be maintained if advance planning and training ensure that all parties understand that the organization’s policy is to be open and honest. This will maintain the integrity of the organization, ensuring that organizational character is valued and protected.