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Wishing people a safe, happy and prosperous New Year is
something that is done all over the globe, and it is
what we wish for you. As our end-of-the-year issue of
Advisor goes to e-press, we not only wish it, but offer
tips on some ways to accomplish it.
Of course safety is foremost, but bad things happen,
even to the best people. That is why this issue is
dedicated to crisis preparation. Will that uncommon
event be simply a manageable incident or a full-blown
crisis? That is where planning makes all the difference.
Pre-empting a crisis or reputation-killing issue not only
benefits the bottom line, it makes for a better, happier
place to work. It says that you plan for the future and
take charge of all that you can. Employee development
sends a message to workers that they are worth investing
in. Thus, crisis preparation is both a smart business
strategy and a morale boost. What could be better?
Are we trying to tell you that we do good and valuable work?
We are. Because of our commitment to confidentiality, we can
share our success stories only in the most vague terms, but
trust that we see the results and so do our clients, some of
whom have been with us from the beginning, more than 30 years
ago. For this and so much more, we are grateful.
Happy New Year!
The Real World
To Succeed - First Fail
Crisis Prep That Works
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Most organizations today are shockingly unprepared to
effectively manage a crisis. Surprised? We’re not. We see
it often, and our experience is supported by research.
The Center for Crisis Management at the University of
Southern California says crisis-prepared companies are
in the minority: at best, 75% of them are not equipped
to manage today’s crises. At worst, 95% are unprepared.
Why is this so? Sometimes organizations lack the financial
or human resources. Others choose to believe that a crisis
will not happen to them – a sure recipe for disaster. But
the biggest problem is that they stick with outdated tools
and methods that will not suffice in a 21st-century crisis.
Forward-thinking companies have used crisis drills for years.
Some industries are required by law to conduct them. Initially,
these drills focused exclusively on operations; they were
designed to test a company’s ability to contain a spill, a fire,
a chemical release, etc. Crisis scenarios were based on past
experience, but anticipating that which has not yet happened
is the mark of excellence.
One of the best ways for an organization to succeed in a
real crisis is by forcing itself to fail during a simulated
one. This will expose a company’s strengths and weaknesses,
and provide a realism that’s crucial to effective learning, but
this works only if the drill pushes to the limit – and perhaps
a bit beyond.
Consider the unthinkable and then test for It. Property
damage and human injury are obvious crises, but what about
product failure, loss of a key executive, a plummeting stock
price, or the SEC at your door? Some crises require the
paramedics. Others require attorneys, accountants, technical
experts and a first-rate spokesperson.
Think broadly about impact. Drills generally ignore
important pressure points, such as the media, the financial
community, employees and their families, customers, suppliers,
government officials, non-governmental organizations, victims
and their lawyers. To be effective, crisis drills must test an
organization’s ability to respond to (or be proactive with) many
different constituencies.
Assess your resources. Can your phone lines handle
hundreds of calls per hour? Do you have the people to take
those calls? What if the power goes out? What if cell towers
are non-functional? How secure is your security? During a recent
drill, our firm placed 125 calls per hour to various
participants – from switchboard operators to vice presidents –
and succeeded in challenging both the equipment and the people.
We also breached the company’s security while its guards were
distracted.
Don’t ignore frontline employees. Receptionists,
security guards, first-line supervisors and similar employees are
often excluded from crisis drills. Ironically, these people usually
end up playing critical roles during a real emergency. Will they
be able to respond properly to persistent and clever reporters,
angry citizens, prank callers, worried employees or their families?
Upgrade often. Recognize that firefighters,
police and other physical crisis experts are constantly practicing
and improving their skills. Since communication, both internal and
external, is so vital, shouldn’t people charged with those tasks
do the same?
Keep it real. Challenge people’s thinking by using
scenarios developed by those outside your company and industry.
Familiarity diminishes effectiveness. How often we have heard the naïve claim, "But that would never happen here." Today’s crises are of unprecedented complexity, thus crisis drills need to be multi-layered; they must incorporate twists and turns and the truly unexpected. The most effective way to do that is to call in the pros.
No amount of people assigned, resources purchased or big, thick
"Crisis Plan" binders will ever substitute for people who know how to
do their jobs in concert with the rest of the team. This
requires practice. If organizations practiced their crisis
plans as often as school kids practice fire drills, billions of
dollars would be saved and uncounted tragedies avoided.
Read more about our crisis training.
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Technology and Crisis
For Better and For Worse
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As it has for nearly all aspects of life, the melding of
personal interaction and technology has changed the way
crisis situations develop and how they are managed and contained.
In some situations, technology itself is the culprit, while in
others, it can be the saving grace. Staying current on both the
benefits and threats is essential. For example:
Cell phones with integrated digital cameras.
These cameras can transmit images and mini-videos
complete with sound to other phones and the Internet.
Rules that prohibit cameras in sensitive areas, from
proprietary locations to locker rooms, make good sense
but fail to address the bigger picture. For instance,
these cameras could be used to send photos that could
create a crisis, exacerbate a sensitive situation, or
raise serious legal issues.
Wireless internet/2-way messaging devices. While a
fine tool to enhance security, new vulnerabilities
need to be addressed. At some workplaces, e-mail
attachments are secure and protected in the wireless
environment, but the dialogue in the e-mail is not
secure. Crisis managers must work with IT departments
and wireless security pros to ensure protection and
make sure users are adequately educated about the
real risks.
Tightening wireless security is only part of the program.
Perhaps more important is the creation of an environment
where employees are encouraged to report situations that
could escalate to a crisis. It is human nature to dislike
being seen as a tattletale, whiner or alarmist.
New technology addresses this by giving people ways
to report concerns with reassuring anonymity.
New technology also has its very useful innovations.
One example is QuickView (www.vmsinfo.com/QuickView/QuickView.html).
This service allows almost instantaneous viewing of television news
reports from any PC. We, at Ammerman, used it most recently to help
a client (a major restaurant chain) better manage a situation at a
restaurant in another state. It aided in faster, better decision making,
and it allowed people in distant locales to have the same media at the same time.
Product ads constantly remind us of the "solutions" technology provides,
and they are not wrong. But these same tools also create new anxieties
and may even act as catalysts for disaster. Preemption remains the goal.
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Evaluate your organization’s preparedness with scathing honesty. |
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Do what it takes to fix the problems. |
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Repeat steps one and two. |
The technology won’t stop changing and neither should your crisis prevention plan.
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Quick Bites
"About those
mini crises..."
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You’ve heard the horror stories; people laid off via
voice-mail or text message, given 10 minutes to clean
their desks under the gaze of an armed guard.
Situations that are very uncomfortable have the
most potential for going wrong and lay-offs are
among the worst. Why should an organization care
what happens to the people who are leaving? For more
information, click here.
What are the rules of giving business gifts in Taiwan?
When is sending a greeting card expected in Italy? Do
you understand the meaning of coffee in Saudi Arabian
business meetings? What if your Korean client suggests
meeting in a karaoke bar? Baffled? Hop on over to Executive Planet.
If your business links are international, this site will have
you looking like a globetrotter in no time. If, on the other
hand, you are strictly a domestic animal, it is still fascinating
reading. Dozens of nations are listed, and there are opportunities
to add your comments as well. Did you know that each country has
its own specific etiquette about setting appointments and punctuality?
Plus, in many nations, the rules for business conduct for women differ
greatly from men. This is truly a don’t miss tutorial for cross-cultural
understanding.
For a quick check of how to address both people and envelopes
in a variety of nations, head to
Business Netiquette International (http://www.bspage.com
/address.html).
The International Business address formats and personal salutations
on the site are condensed from Merriam Webster's Guide to
International Business Communications, which discusses
the various elements in greater detail.
And since we’re on the topic of avoiding a faux pas,
"The quickest way for a young professional to wreck a
budding career is to mess up at the office Christmas party."
So says the crew from the Irish Jobs website and their advice
is dead on for this side of The Pond as well. A quick review
of these essential rules ought to be useful to executives
young and not so young.
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2004
Ammerman
Individual
Enrollment
Training Dates
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Effective Media Communications
January 20
February 6
March 2
Effective Presentations
January 21
March 3
Advanced Communicators
May 4 -5
Marketing EMC
May 6
EMC Refresher
March 4
The above schedule lists the Ammerman open, public
workshops. For available dates for private (buy-out)
training dates, please contact The Ammerman Experience
at 1.800.866.2026.
The Ammerman Experience open workshops are
scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis,
and are available to a limited number of attendees
to ensure maximum personalized attention. To
register for a course, contact our office at
1.800.866.2026.
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