When we think about organizational crises, we often picture dramatic disasters: a scandal, a flood, a PR meltdown. But the biggest threat isn’t the crisis itself—it’s denial.
“We assume nothing bad will happen because nothing has before. That’s when we’re most vulnerable,” says John Lites, a leader in security and crisis preparedness.
Here is a simple framework for building resilience before disaster strikes.
- Duty of care: Stewardship means protecting your team. Your duty of care includes both legal obligations and moral leadership. Whether it’s ensuring safe travel or securing a digital workspace, the people under your care need to know you’ve got their back.
- Crisis policies: Many organizations have HR policies, but few have crisis response policies. How will your leadership team respond to a natural disaster? What if your organization becomes the subject of an online backlash? A clear policy turns uncertainty into action.
- Risk assessment: Risk assessment starts by identifying your critical assets: people, property, programs, and public reputation. Then you measure threats by likelihood and severity. Which risks are both likely and serious? Those go to the top of your planning list.
- Contingency plans: “If-then” planning helps organizations move faster when a crisis unfolds. Instead of improvising, leaders follow pre-determined response plans. These reduce confusion, limit liability, and help protect your brand and relationships.
- Training: All the planning in the world is useless if no one knows what to do. That’s why training is not optional. Your entire team should know the basics of your crisis response plan. Tabletop exercises, leadership simulations, and communication templates all make a difference.
The bottom line? Crisis is inevitable. Failure is optional.
Ignoring risk doesn’t make it go away. It makes you unprepared. By embracing these five principles, your organization can face future crises with clarity, unity, and faith.
Don’t wait for the worst to happen. Prepare now—because your mission is worth protecting.
**This is based on the workshop “Five crisis management principles every organization should consider” presented by John Lites. You can watch the full workshop on-demand for free.**
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