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In the face of a crisis it is essential to react quickly, consistently and effectively.
Stay ahead of the game with these top Crisis Management pain points based on the top findings from the dozens of organisations we support and from hundreds of our most recent client Crisis Management exercises.
Activation & Escalation
Focus on the processes and protocols for activating and escalating crisis management procedures. Our findings highlight the importance of having a clear and well-defined activation process for the Crisis Management Team (CMT).
For instance, having several methods of contacting team members, so that if Teams (as an example) isn’t available, that the team can still be reached. Additional findings include the need for flexible activation of adjacent teams depending on the scenario such as technical teams and the importance of testing escalation to the Board and other teams so it is clear how and when to contact them.
Roles and Responsibilities
Addressing the clarity and understanding of roles and responsibilities within the crisis management framework is paramount. Several exercised teams noted the need for improved understanding of roles, particularly at the executive level.
At the Board level, how management and the Board interact was a common theme that when solved, sped up the time to engage and come to solutions. Regardless of the level of the team, ensuring that all team members are aware of their specific responsibilities during a crisis was a recurring theme.
Decision Making
Decision making under pressure was a significant theme across all exercises. The need for robust decision-making processes and the ability to make timely decisions during a crisis were emphasised. This stresses the importance of clear and timely communication to support decision making. The use of a CMT meeting agenda showed enhanced decision making when used during every team meeting.
These keep the team on track and avoids ‘the loudest voice in the room’ using up the meeting time. Additionally, highlighting the importance of post-exercise debriefs to gather findings and identify areas for improvement in decision-making processes.
Stakeholder Management
Effective stakeholder management, including engagement with government agencies, media, and other stakeholders, was seen as crucial.
The exercises highlighted the need for realistic simulations of stakeholder interactions, including simulating realistic stakeholder interactions to enhance preparedness. This includes writing holding statement, preparing ‘simulated’ ASX announcements and regulator communications.
Additionally, many underscored the importance of clear and timely communication with stakeholders during a crisis.
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