Crisis Management
While good risk management practices should minimise the risk of a disruptive event and a tested, proven business continuity capability will ensure the impact of a disruption is minimised, it is vital that someone takes effective control when an incident does occur.
We help organisations develop their crisis management capability and ensure they are ready to handle any form of crisis.
Team Structures
Organisations develop structures for dealing with the day-today operations of their business. When an incident occurs, these structures are often too rigid to react with the speed required to take control of an incident and manage it to a successful conclusion. Often using the proven Gold (Strategic), Silver (Tactical) and Bronze (Operational) approach, we help organisations devise appropriate response and recovery teams. We place great emphasis on the roles and responsibilities required to analyse, evaluate and successfully manage an incident.
Training
The management and control of a crisis is a rare experience for most managers. Unlike normal business meetings, decisions taken may be scrutinised later by Loss Adjusters/Assessors, committees of enquiry, the Health & Safety Executive (UK), legal representatives and so on. In such circumstances, the availability of event logs, decision logs, communications plans and copies of statements issued (all timed, dated and signed) may prove invaluable.
We help prepare team members for their crisis management roles by coaching them through the issues surrounding the basic operation of a crisis command centre to ensure they do not feel overwhelmed at the time of a fast-moving crisis that is intellectually demanding and emotionally draining.
Exercising
In recent years, more and more organisations have recognised the benefits of scheduling regular exercises for their crisis management teams. Staff communication in a crisis, dealing with media interest and keeping clients informed are just three of the issues that crop-up time and again in the aftermath of a disruptive incident. And each one has the capacity to damage the reputation of your organisation.
We design and facilitate tabletop exercises that provide crisis management members with an opportunity to rehearse their roles in a demanding, yet stress-free environment. We will develop scenarios, briefing notes, scripts, observation checklists, mock TV and radio bulletins and any other materials required to ensure the success of the exercise event. We will also produce feedback reports and host post-exercise debrief sessions to ensure that maximum benefit is gained from the event.
