Crisis 911: Don’t get Caught with your Head in the Clouds.

Crisis in the workplace can occur in many ways, but one thing is for sure, a poorly communicated crisis compounds the issues. Misinformation, assumptions, and speculation destroy lives and ruins personal and brand reputations. The C-Suite can no longer avoid having a crisis communication strategy or plan in place. They can’t get caught with their heads in the clouds when crisis hits. If you’re in business, you’re bound to experience a crisis soon or later. It’s not a question of if—it’s a question of when.

In this day and age, a crisis communication plan is imperative. We recognize that some industries are inherently more dangerous than others and perhaps more susceptible to crisis. No longer do we relegate it to airlines or mining incidents, and we’re all more aware of it since crises like the Oklahoma City bombing, 911, Columbine, Virginia Tech and others. The midst of such a crisis is not the place and time to be contemplating who will be a spokesperson and what you will say.

What’s the number one reason we hear time and again for not creating a corporate crisis communications plan? You guessed it: budget.

Have you ever heard anyone say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”? That comes to mind when we hear people say a crisis communications plan “is not in the budget this year.” Of course it’s not—and neither is a crisis. The cost of improperly communicating a crisis can cost a hundred-fold that of a plan.

Moreover, what’s stated inappropriately to the news media is often the plaintiff’s lawyer’s opening statement in court. You simply cannot afford to make that mistake.

Take a moment for a quick assessment. What would you do if the news media contacted you (versus you contacting them) telling you of a death or a fire in your manufacturing plant? What if two toddlers supposedly under the supervision of your employees walked out the back door of your daycare facility onto a busy highway? What if a scientist in your lab shipped a poisonous substance across country? What if an executive in your company was accused of a white color crime that cost millions of dollars to be lost in retirement funds?

Frontline or 60 Minutes could show up on your doorstep or appear in your company parking lot in a media ambush, or disguise themselves as a delivery person to get access to one of your executives for an on-camera comment. Sound unbelievable? Well, it isn’t. These are actual circumstances. Don’t let this be you.

There is not an industry today immune to crisis. So, what should you do? How should you respond? Don’t get caught with your head in the clouds and most of all remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.