With two Intertech employees working near the Pentagon on that fateful day, it was critical to think and make decisions quickly – with the full realization that my decisions could affect the safety and possibly the survival of two fellow human beings.
Thankfully, we were able to get our employees safely out of Washington after Sept. 11. But instead of chalking it up as a freak occurrence, we’ve learned from the experience and have since developed a crisis management plan.
The plan will provide a framework for decision-making and guidelines for action in the future, whether the crisis is related to terrorism, acts of nature, viral epidemics, employee accidents, or errors that affect our customers, to name just a few possible crisis scenarios.
As CEO of my company, the buck still stops with me. But I believe every organizational leader, no matter how small or large the company, should invest time in crisis management planning. Here’s a suggested blueprint for doing just that.
1. Identify the crisis management team and its role.
Assemble a crisis management team before a crisis occurs. This group will stay with the crisis throughout its duration and may include at least one representative of senior management, legal counsel, representatives from marketing, human resources and other staff as appropriate.
All team members should have a paper copy of the crisis management planning framework and an up-to-date employee contact list in the office and at home, as well as with them while traveling or meeting with customers. Encourage team members to get yearly influenza shots but not to stockpile antivirals like Tamiflu because that could prevent key medications from being available for those who may need them most in a medical emergency.
2. Brainstorm scenarios and solutions, before a crisis strikes.
Like any good planning process, it starts with naming potential problems and brainstorming possible solutions. In the tip box with this article are some questions to get you and your team started.
3. Get ready.
Have an extension on your phone system established just for outbound messages. Let people know that if there is an emergency, they can call the company’s main line and go to the extension where the CEO or a senior leadership team member will give an update. For example: “As you have heard by calling this number, there has been a chemical spill near the office. Stay home. Call this number 8 a.m. tomorrow for an update.”
Communicate now that you can soften or extend workplace attendance rules in the event of a pandemic, natural disaster or terrorist attack. You don’t want key performers to quit because they’ve exhausted sick time or short- or long-term disability leave if avian flu strikes, for example. In your employee handbook, allow for telecommuting in case of an emergency.
Get information on pandemics and other emergency scenarios into the hands of your employees on an annual basis. Don’t over-hype and communicate that you’re just being safe. The Minnesota Department of Health (www.health.state.mn.us) and FEMA (www.fema.gov) Web sites have good information about emergency preparedness that you can share with your employees.
Have a plan for people who may be traveling. Urge employees to travel with first aid kits, a small vial of bleach, a lightweight plastic compass, a small screwdriver, battery-operated radio and other basic emergency supplies.
Have a plan for restoring digital systems. Know who will you use and in what order will you restore your servers. Do a test to verify that it works.
4. Avoid communication breakdowns.
Establish a general crisis communication policy based on the following principles:
Tell as much as possible (within legal bounds) as quickly as possible to dispel rumors.
Whenever possible, communicate the same information to all audiences.
Be accessible and responsive to audiences’ need for information, but with appropriate respect for the rights to privacy of the individuals involved.
Do not engage in speculation.
Remain calm and controlled in all dealings with employees and their families, customers, government agencies, the news media and other audiences.
Be as prepared as possible with written materials, including prepared and thoughtful answers to difficult questions.
Be aware of the need for new communication rules in the event of major emergencies, such as planning for ways to stay in touch without human contact in the event of a pandemic.
5. Assemble the team.
In case of an emergency, hold a crisis management team meeting as quickly as possible to discuss the crisis and its ramifications. Have a data gathering worksheet ready in advance so each team member can easily contribute necessary information as the crisis is assessed.
The team will be responsible for quickly drawing up the specific response plan. Members of the team should then call their own staff members and begin implementing the plan. Have clear guidelines for when the crisis team members should check in or meet again with senior management to make sure everyone is on the same page during fluid circumstances.
6. Define how to get back on track.
Once the initial dust has settled, assess the situation. Is the crisis really over? Consider what might happen next.
When the crisis has ended, it is important to evaluate the success of the crisis management effort. Assess whether any damage has been done to your reputation or relationships with key audiences and try to learn from the process. Most importantly, communicate to everyone that the crisis is resolved and business is returning to normal.
Finally, as CEO of your firm, be prepared to step up and execute your plan with calmness, certainty and flexibility. And remember, it’s your job to handle those things even the best plans cannot anticipate.
Tom Salonek,
Intertech:
651.994.8558
tsalonek@intertech.com
www.intertech.com
