Crisis management: where to start?

Crisis management is a set of policies and practices to contain misfortunes that can potentially harm people and the business itself, providing a certain level of peace of mind, even in the face of “turbulence.”

But what can cause a crisis for a company?

• Accidents and natural events;
• Environmental and health disasters;
• Technological failures;
• Economic and market forces;
• Cheating employees and partners.

During the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, how many companies had to adapt quickly to deal with all the impacts on the market and, especially, on their business?

During this period, many business owners needed to manage crises quickly and intuitively, so we've brought you some tips to help you face future crises, if any, with greater security and peace of mind.

How to start managing a crisis in the company?

Ideally, companies should routinely analyze possible sources of crisis for their business, considering the probability of the event and its possible impact.

But we know that this isn't a reality for most companies. That's why crises often catch us by surprise, and at that moment, the most important thing is to have agility, focus and transparency.

We've brought you some tips to guide you through the first moments of a crisis:

• Agility is important, but it's also important to remain calm to avoid actions and statements that could end up worsening the crisis.
• Implement a Crisis Committee composed of a multidisciplinary team prepared to deal with stressful and pressure-filled situations. After all, this is the team that will be on the front lines of the crisis.
• Seek qualified information and seek guidance from experts.
• Designate official spokespersons and communication channels to communicate the company's decisions.
• Maintain active and transparent communication.
• Don't forget: you also need to be aware of the potential repercussions of the crisis on social media. Reaction speed is even more critical on these platforms, requiring closer monitoring.
• Don't be afraid to innovate: in many crises, innovation ends up becoming much more a necessity for business survival than a choice. Stay alert and make the necessary adjustments to the situation, aligning creativity and strategy.