As this post is related to the crisis management that I discussed in my last post, I would now like to illustrate the steps to follow when there is a crisis.
Once again communication is the most important factor here and that is because whenever there is a crisis happening, managers need to make sure that all of their employees are on the same page about what is going on. Otherwise, the result would be an even bigger crisis.
Step 1: Think about how to better notify your staff.
Some strategies include the "call tree" in which a person calls two or more people who then call two or more people, email chains, instant messaging group notifications, etc.
Step 2: Give as much information as possible.
When everyone is informed on how to control the crisis and in what way their department is being or not being affected, then there will be more coherence and enough expectations to follow through.
Step 3: Create space to communicate
This will help clear out any rumors that can be clouding everyone's judgment.
Step 4: Understanding what you cannot say in a crisis
There are certain details that are not meant to be shared with the rest of the company/employees. These include confidential information or your own personal opinion on the matter.
Step 5: Not making any claims or promises
As a leader, it is incredibly hard to see your company go through a crisis. The responsibility that comes with the role surely influences the need to make a lighthearted promise like "it will all be okay". Unfortunately, if things don't turn out to be okay then you end up looking like the a-hole...
What there is to understand here is that others might be going through a lot of stress and as such, it is important to listen to concerns BUT without making any promises.
As we all know, crises aren't fun to deal with, whether you own a business or not. However, following these steps ensures a more smooth process when going through mostly inevitable crises that might show up every once in a while in our lives.