Crisis Prevention

If auto safety was like some crisis management programs, we'd be buying seat belts and air bags while our cars were skidding toward a wall at high speed.

Crisis prevention costs are always a tiny fraction of the losses that are typically incurred as a result of crises for which there had been inadequate preparation. There have been many Bernstein Crisis Management clients that incurred millions of dollars in legal, operational and public relations/marketing costs that could have been avoided with adequate preparation.

Crisis prevention, at its best, is the organizational equivalent of a medical full body scan. Bernstein Crisis Management offers and has often been a pioneer in the delivery of crisis prevention activities designed not only to prepare clients for potential crises, but also to make them crisis-resistant.

• Vulnerability Audits — A multi-disciplinary risk assessment to identify current and potential areas of operational weakness and system flaws that could lead to, or exacerbate, crises. The scope of a vulnerability audit can vary, depending on client preferences and needs. Some options include:

• Crisis Document Audit — A simple review of existing client documents related to crisis preparedness and response, such as crisis communications plans, emergency response policies, disaster plans, etc. This audit includes creation of a written evaluation and recommendations for improvement.
• Executive Session Vulnerability Audit — A single session in which the client's executive team is led through a series of educational and thought-provoking discussions to uncover and begin to address organizational vulnerabilities that could escalate to crises. After that, the consultant prepares a written report of findings and recommendations. The length and scope of an executive session vulnerability audit can be customized to best suit the client's needs and resources.
• Comprehensive Vulnerability Audit — A series of interviews with employees at all levels of an organization, each conducted in complete confidence so that the interviewee feels comfortable disclosing information he/she might not otherwise discuss. This is often complemented by interviews with representative members of key external audiences, and concludes with preparation and presentation of a comprehensive audit report to the senior management team.

Length of time and cost required varies considerably depending on the size of the organization.

• Crisis Communications Plans — Based on some level of vulnerability audit, creation of a response structure and written plan that will guide and optimize reaction to future crises. This includes ensuring that there is close coordination between the teams involved in the operational and communications aspects of crisis response.
• Disaster/Incident Response Planning and Training — Also based on a vulnerability audit, ensuring that an organization is prepared for the operational response to a crisis, complementing its crisis communications planning.
• Senior- and Mid-Level Staff Training About Crisis Management Fundamentals - prevention and/or response, from one-hour luncheon presentation to multi-day sessions.
• Media Training — Comprehensive instruction and practice on camera, enhancing spokespersons' abilities to optimize results from both "good news" and crisis-related interviews. More details on media training are provided later in this description of services.
• Crisis Prevention & The Law — All of Bernstein Crisis Management's crisis prevention services can include legal counsel to help clients more thoroughly evaluate multi-disciplinary legal compliance and factor legal considerations into crisis prevention systems and activities. The agency works with clients' existing legal counsel and/or can recommend national-caliber attorneys from its own network of contacts.

References available on request. Call (626) 825-3838
or write to jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com for more information.