| Much has been learned about dealing with crises during the almost 30 years separating the 1972 Munich Olympics and the terrorist events of September 11, 2001. The manner, style, timeliness, and thoroughness of the response to a crisis have all evolved given technological advancements, particularly as they relate to the immediacy of the media in today's sports and business worlds. Although the stakeholders, or "players," might differ depending on the type of business or industry in which an organization operates, it is important for executives to remember the following when faced with a crisis: Step up to the plate by rapidly acknowledging the situation and your desire to quickly and ethically resolve it. If you don't react unnecessarily to a crisis, you will not unnecessarily overreact to it. Measured responses help organizations avoid the bad rap associated with mishandling a crisis. Take your consumers' pulse about the situations by rapidly gathering any and all meaningful data that will help mitigate the crisis. The ability to accomplish this will allow an organization to run rings around the competition. Utilize an appropriate messenger, one with great credibility and believability, to help communicate how the crisis is being deftly handled. Select a mouthpiece that doesn't have laryngitis. Make the media your friend by disarming it when appropriate. Such an approach will enable the organization to save face with critical shareholders, including fans or customers and the media, and might result in the organization being given the benefit of the doubt when a crisis does occur. If more than one person is speaking on behalf of the company in a crisis, make sure they are saying the same thing. Specifically, tell those who shouldn't be talking to the media not to talk. Appreciate the role that will be played by the legal system both during and after a crisis. If the legal eagles fail to appreciate the stakeholders and their sympathizers, you will be courting disaster. Cyber-patrolling before, during, and after a crisis will help ensure that an organization is aware of and prepared to deal with the situation before it gets out of hand on the Internet. Redoubling online resources will help fend off long-term brand damage brought about by a crisis. Any failure to sympathize for, and empathize with, those affected by a crisis will limit how favorably stakeholders view your response, even if the response is tactically and legally sound. Don't let the competition lap you because you were asleep at the wheel during a crisis. Handling a crisis promptly, with great tact and demonstrable leadership, will help diffuse what could become a full-blown crisis. Professionally and publicly displaying crisis management acumen can reinforce your standing as the top player in your field. Go on the offensive by planning for crises. Effective contingency planning will help smoke the competition when an organization or entire industry for that matter faces turmoil. Consider how stakeholders will respond and react when you decide it is time to put a crisis behind you. Tactfully and purposefully moving on will help avoid compounding and extending the fallout from the initial crisis. Recognizing, appreciating, and working with those entities impacted by an organization's response to a crisis has become a critically important element in today's business world. Further, proactively dealing with crises has taken on new importance given the rapid emergence of new technologies and the 24-hour news cycle. Effective crisis management has become increasingly vital throughout sports and business, particularly as each seeks to enter new markets. |
