How a Crisis Management Team Works

In an article on the website Security Beyond Borders, author Francisco Mateo begins with a good quote:

 The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger – but recognize the opportunity 

-John F. Kennedy

Mateo also emphasizes that there are ideal factors that have to be in place for an ideal crisis management team to exist.  Those factors would be:

• Crisis Preparedness
• Crisis Management
• Post Crisis & Post Mortem

To begin with, the strategy has to be formulated with clear and distinct elements where the "guiding star" for the organization needs to be crisis prevention.  Especially important is the all-encompassing nature of this strategy.  That is, a holistic approach should cover all the bases from R&D to the very end of the company's supply chain.

The next step involves the company's communication strategy and is perhaps the greatest area of weakness when a communication plan is not in full force and effect.  According to Mateo, the first step for the crisis team is to "gain influence over the message communicated to the general public regarding the event..."  How this message will be delivered can include everything from the standard media approach to the new social media opportunities.

There are several other important points related to formulating a good crisis management team and implementing the corporate strategy under pressure.  He concludes by saying that how the team performs during a crisis event is commensurate with the quality of training done prior to the crisis. 

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