Fire, accident, redundancies, cyber threats, misconduct… The crises that threaten organizations are diverse and often unpredictable. Crises can be self-induced or the result of an external factor. A crisis causes financial losses and impacts negatively on the reputation of the organization, and, in the worst case, it can cost lives. A crisis can end an organization’s operations for good.
A crisis may develop slowly, over a long period of time, or it may arise unexpectedly. Sometimes it surprises organization during holidays or at night. Pre-agreed crisis management processes and clear roles for the crisis team help to take control of the situation quickly. It is vital to demonstrate that the organization is leading the response and is in control of the situation.
Accountability, transparency and clear communication are emphasized from the beginning of the crisis. Whatever the nature of the crisis, it must always be taken seriously. Downplay, cover up or outright denial will exacerbate and prolong the crisis.
Crises are extremely stressful and difficult events. The way an organization communicates in crisis impacts the trust that stakeholders have for the organization. It is not just about business and financial losses, but also about humanity, empathy and responsibility. The attitude to a crisis and the way it is handled says a lot about the culture, values and leadership of the organization.
Crisis communication is a skill and an acid test for leadership and communication professionals. Crisis communication requires preparation, planning and practicing. Companies should regularly ask themselves what kind of crises they could face. Thinking about crisis scenarios, running simulations and regular reviews of crisis guidelines and processes is a basic requirement for every company. But this is not always the case.
A communication agency can provide important support to a company when its own crisis communication resources and skills are insufficient or when it needs external insight into crisis communication planning, training or implementation.
Manifesto has extensive experience in a wide range of crisis situations over 25 years. We develop crisis communication guidelines and policies and help manage the crisis. We are available on short notice to help you solve the crisis. Our network of international partners is available if a crisis occurs in another country. Local assistance is essential for effective crisis management and communication.
We provide crisis communication training, such as crisis simulations, which give participants a strong sense of what a real crisis situation feels like, increase their crisis communication capabilities and encourage them to improve their crisis communication.
Our services
- Crisis communication strategies
- Crisis communication scenario work for crises
- Crisis communication guidelines and materials
- Crisis communication coaching and simulations
- Crisis communication consultancy, implementation and support