Maybe it’s not a priority for you right now to think about what you’d do if there were a major disaster at work. After all, we want our teams to succeed every time. It’s human nature to avoid thinking about bad things that could happen when things are going well.
Now imagine that your company is amid a major crisis, such as the possible contamination of one of its food products or the discovery of a defect in one of its automobiles that has led to dozens of accidents. So, what would you do if you were in such a situation?
William Schantz’s Advice
Communication is Key
William Schantz says the first step when faced with a crisis is to let everyone involved know about it, even if a solution hasn’t been found. There’s no need to wait until you have everything figured out before making the emergency announcement.
Find the root causes of this situation and work to correct them first. Repeat your apologies to everyone involved, and if the crisis wasn’t your fault, don’t take responsibility; instead, express regret for any pain or distress you may have caused.
Ignoring the Problem
To ignore the issue and hope it goes away is a futile tactic. The likelihood of disastrous outcomes increases if an appropriate response to the crisis is avoided or delayed.
Without addressing the root cause, the repercussions could quickly spiral out of control. If you choose to ignore the crisis, you also forfeit any control you might have had over how it was handled or the extent to which it harmed your reputation.
If you make a mistake online, it will be difficult to erase the evidence of it. Even your detractors will have to admit that you’re highly competent.
Be Transparent
People often lose their faculties of reason in times of crisis. William Schantz says: Do not lie, mislead, or tell a half-truth. Dishonesty won’t help you get through a crisis any faster; it will make things much worse. Do the opposite and be honest and forthright.
Address the issue head-on and explain what your company has done or plans to do to fix it. Don’t make unachievable claims; instead, focus on being clear and direct.
As soon as your company experiences a crisis, morale will plummet, and employees will start fretting about their futures with the company. That’s why it’s crucial to be open and honest with staff members to ease their concerns.
Make a Crisis Management Plan
Plan for handling crises that lays out the actions to take and the priorities to follow in the event of an emergency and salso identifies the threats to the company’s survival. Even though it’s impossible to foresee every possible crisis, you can ensure your company is prepared for anything by running drills to see how it would respond in various situations and ensure everyone is on the same page.
William Schantz’s Final Thoughts
Most people are not naturally predisposed to make contingency plans. The unfortunate truth is that any business, at any time, is vulnerable to calamity.
The task of deciding which possibilities to plan for is even more challenging than the actual process of preparing for such an occurrence. Therefore, keep your cool and prepare for any emergencies that may arise.