CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Crisis management is the process of monitoring Internal and External Environment of the Organization in order to predict or to identify any signs of crisis or any issue that can led to crisis. In another word is the process of developing strategies on how to deal with crisis when it will happen.

Crisis is the situation that expected or unexpected and it appears to be terrible or dangerous/tragic or life threatening. It can be caused by Human error which can be caused by natural causes.  The following are the types of crisis;

  Immediate crisis: This is dangerous events which occur suddenly and unexpectedly.

Emerging crisis: This are kind of crisis that might take some time to occur.

Sustained crisis: This is the crisis which may take a long period of time before they take crisis and they are caused by accumulations of issues for a long period of time. There are three phases of crisis management but today will just see one phase of crisis management goes by the name Phase two or During Crisis;

THINGS TO CONCIDER WHEN CRISIS OCCURS IN THE ORGANIZATION

 Assemble the crisis management team; this involves coordinating and monitoring the activities allocated to crisis management team in their respective areas with proper resources. During the crisis you are not suppose to design or building up the team for crisis management but you were supposed to create even before the crisis began. Assemble them and direct them to the task assigned to each and every member, this will save time and enhance more controlling and monitoring of the crisis.

Determine/find out what exactly has happen; as a corporate communication officer you need to state out exactly what has happen in your organization. This include speak out what was the cause of the crisis, who cause it, how did it occur, what loss did u gain from the crisis and what measures did you take in solving and controlling the crisis. Do not speak what you think was the cause but conduct a research to find out what exactly was the cause the crisis.

  Determine what to communicate about; this involves choose the right way on how to communicate, who to communicate with and who will be responsible in giving out the information needed. A corporate Communication Officer supposed to choose a person from crisis management team who will act as a spokes person on behalf of the Organization. Note that you are not required to speak each and everything concerning the crisis or any matter that relates to the organization, which might drop down the image and reputation of the Organization. A spokes person that has been selected will be required to give the necessary information needed to be heard by the people or media.

Control the media; since any issue or crisis that can occur in an Organization will eventually attract the attention of the public there are no way you can escape media involvements on that matter. As Corporate Communication Officer you need to understand and recognize the presence of the media and take them to the authorized body which they will talk to them. This will give you a room in dealing with other important issues in controlling and managing the procedure of the crisis.

BY CHAMI FRIDA, A

BAPRM 42690