A crisis is one of the best ways to test a leader’s skills. Sure, running a corporation isn’t easy; there are day-to-day challenges that are not for the faint of heart. But encountering an internal or external crisis can really rattle a leader. It can shake them and threaten the stability of their company.
Just five years ago, the world was gripped with the pandemic. Some businesses boomed while others struggled. Those that succeeded were (more often than not) led by an effective leadership team. Nobody could have predicted the repercussions of the coronavirus, nor did anyone have a true sense of what would and wouldn’t work during this unprecedented time. And yet, the leaders that rose to the top were those that took action, supported their teams, communicated with their consumers, and operated as normally as possible.
Because crises are unpredictable, it’s all too easy for leaders to ignore crisis management training. As a founder and brand advisor, I know all too well that the days can fly by without a chance to give the future a thought. Public health epidemics, cybersecurity attacks, economic fluctuations, market disruptions, and other unforeseen challenges can greatly impact a business. While nobody, myself included, wants to go through another pandemic, having the proper training and mindset can make all the difference if it were to occur again. With that in mind, here’s why I believe leadership teams need training in crisis management.
Quick Decision Making
In your day-to-day operations, you decide the timeline. You decide when you want to launch a new product or marketing campaign. You work backward to see how much time different teams will need for the intended “go date.” However, the repercussions of a task being incomplete in time is largely an internal problem. This isn’t the case in a crisis. You don’t have the time to mull over different iterations or think about different possibilities and outcomes. You and your team need to make a decision quickly.
Depending on the crisis at hand, you’ll need to assess the information available, evaluate potential risks, and make a timely decision. Waiting can be detrimental to your business. Failure to inform customers that their information was compromised during a cybersecurity attack could lead them to take their business elsewhere. They will likely be pretty unhappy if they find out from the news instead of from the organization itself.
As a business leader, I prioritize crisis management training since it will not only help my business with the skills needed to analyze and assess situations faster, but it will also help with making the best decision for any given situation. Overall, learning various decision-making frameworks can help you take action more quickly while also remaining decisive in your choices.
Effective Communication
Communication should be part of every leader’s core values. Crisis or not, communication is how teams facilitate information and build trust. During a crisis, it’s up to the leader to communicate efficiently and effectively to the internal teams. It’s natural for panic to ensue during a time of unpredictability and stress.
For example, at the beginning of the pandemic, individuals were scared to go to the office, let alone go outside. Employees were worried about their families, including whether their kids were picking up germs from school or how they were going to get food on the table. Because of these concerns, I met with my team to discuss a new working plan where everyone could work from home successfully during this time. It’s up to the leader to take charge and communicate with their employees during crises, and this means being transparent and discussing how the company will have their backs during this time.
However, it’s not only internal communications that you’re responsible for. You also need to consider what you’re communicating to your customers, vendors, and shareholders. This is where crisis management can come in handy. While you should know how best to speak to your team, communicating externally can present itself as more challenging.
Depending on the situation, you’ll likely need to communicate things early-on and repeat your information across different platforms. Send an email to all of your subscribers and post a video on your social platforms to get the word across. In your messaging, prioritize transparency and consistency. Be empathetic but also stick to the facts and what you know at the time.
Reputation Management
Lastly, another reason to prioritize crisis management training is to protect your business’ reputation. Again, customers are quick to judge. One crisis can be the end of your business if not handled properly and considerably. This is especially the case for businesses that undergo internal crises, such as cybersecurity attacks, product recalls, or miscalculated marketing campaigns.
In these instances, customers are going to look to the leader to take responsibility and ownership of what occurred. They’ll want to know how the leader is going to rectify the situation and how they will put their customers first moving forward. Taking swift action can make or break a business, which is something that all leaders will learn during proper crisis management training. Additionally, you’ll learn ways to control the narrative to ensure misinformation isn’t spread about your company.
The rise of social media can help brands but also hurt them during a crisis. Most recently, prebiotic soda brand Poppi received harsh criticism online after rumors about a Super Bowl influencer marketing campaign spread. Influencers and consumers alike took to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to discredit the brand and show their support for competitors such as Olipop. Poppi’s founder appeared on TikTok herself to address the backlash and reiterate her brand’s mission to foster community.
Time will tell if her actions made a difference in helping rectify the brand after an internal hiccup. No matter the nature of the crisis though, it’s always important for leaders to address it with their audience as soon as possible. I know that as a leader, I will not always have the answers right away. But, I have found that addressing your awareness of the ongoing situation and offering reassurance that a solution is being worked on often yields better results with your audience than remaining silent.
Conclusion
No leader wants to go through a crisis. However, they are pretty much inevitable in today’s unpredictable, digital-driven world. Taking the time now to pursue crisis management training can provide you with a structured approach or mindset when an unpredictable challenge presents itself. I know firsthand that you’ll feel more prepared and better equipped to navigate whatever may lie ahead.
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