The Crisis Management Freeway

Erik Bernstein crisis communications, crisis management, crisis preparation, Crisis Prevention, crisis public relations, Crisis Response, public relations, reputation management Leave a Comment

It takes confidence to achieve crisis management success

Crisis management requires not only skill and wits, but also confidence. The following quote, from an Adam Black article, provides a fitting analogy:

Do not try to confront the crisis halfheartedly. Once you have made up your mind, move forward confidently. Experts compare this to getting on a fast moving freeway. Approach slowly enough to take in the situation, then accelerate firmly to enter the traffic flow safely.

The freeway analogy can be taken even further, really. In a breaking crisis, just as when you’re driving up an on-ramp, you have to quickly assess the situation and determine who or what else needs consideration, choose the right move to make, and execute. After you’re in successfully, it’s critical to continue on your course, adjusting for changes big or small, and continue to monitor the other stakeholders (aka drivers, in this case).

Once you’ve reached your destination, or attained your goal, it’s time to slowly move towards the off-ramp, keeping an open eye for stakeholders who may suddenly create a treacherous situation. If you make it without trouble, you can safely get off the freeway, although you’d better keep your eyes open on those surface streets. Screw up down there, and you’re right back on the crisis management freeway!

The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/

Leave a Reply