In our rapidly shaping and shifting world, there is nothing more important than strong leadership. An organization can get along without it in a status quo environment – but the moment crisis rears its head, leaders are needed. Leaders who project strength, communicate clearly and show empathy.

There’s one thing we can be sure of in volatile times: it’s not a question of “if” the next crisis will come, it’s “when”. So, building competency in crisis communications should be a priority for every company and every leader.  

Understanding crisis communications management  

Crisis was once a term reserved for headline-grabbing events such as oil spills, plane crashes, large corporate scandals or major economic volatility. But in today’s deeply interconnected world, information is available to many different audiences, each with their own priorities. This means something that was previously a minor issue – only of interest to people inside or close to a company – can now be disseminated worldwide in an instant, finding that audience to whom it matters most. A small slipup can impact a company’s reputation and do lasting damage, sometimes more than a major event. Accounting mistakes, social justice issues, supply chain disruptions, privacy and cybersecurity, geopolitical events and workplace dynamics are just a few issues leaders need to navigate today. And they must navigate very quickly and very publicly.     

Key elements of crisis communications and management  

At ChangeMakers, we focus on five key elements that leaders need in a crisis:  

Vision: Communicating a clear and compelling vision for your organization. Your stakeholders – the public, employees, shareholders – need to know your continued purpose and motivation regardless of the circumstances.   

Agility: Adapting quickly to ever-changing circumstances and making decisions based on incomplete or uncertain information and communicating well.  

Empathy: Showing an understanding of the lived experience and responding to the needs of your employees, customers and other stakeholders. Empathy and compassion should be visible in all communication.  

Resilience: Demonstrating you can manage these setbacks and maintain a composed and calm demeanour throughout, while supporting others through transparent and open communication.  

Collaboration: Working quickly to use your networks to find solutions to complex situations.  

With so much at risk, more should be done to prepare.  

A recent poll of executives* who’ve experienced crisis events shows that: 

• 38% had not anticipated the risk.  

• 24% anticipated the risk but weren’t prepared.  

• 64% reported the crisis set their company back financially.  

• 35% reported it impacted their ability to retain and recruit talent.  

Clearly, more can and should be done to prepare leaders for a crisis – before it hits. Though we can’t know specifics of tomorrow’s crises, we can strengthen our vision, agility, empathy, resilience and collaboration through rigorous and data-informed training. 

ChangeMakers Training Academy  

The ChangeMakers Training Academy was created to answer this very challenge. We help leaders identify and strengthen the skills needed in crisis… skills that enhance and protect your reputation and maintain and build trust throughout any crisis.  

We will help you prepare for any situation through:   

• Risk audits 

• Rigorous simulations   

• Understanding your stakeholders and issues 

• Data-driven tools focused on protecting, promoting and evolving your reputation 

• Communicating with empathy and transparency  

Reputation capital matters more than ever. ChangeMakers Training Academy prepares leaders and their teams to step up when it matters most. Change is always coming – don’t wait for it to tap you on the shoulder. Be prepared to face it with readiness and determination. 

*Source: https://senateshj.com/campaigns/crisis/  

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