Finally, the central communication hub needs to remain in touch with staff as they work through the crisis. This is a major consideration that most forget when in a crisis situation. In most crises, a business must continue to function, which can only be accomplished if communication is established between employees and management. Ley, Ludwig, Pipek, V. et al. (2014), reiterate in their studies the importance of “inter-organizational collaboration” and creating a secure work environment will prevent rumor mills and keep business flowing in a positive, effective direction.
Strategies
Although all crisis cannot be prevented, developing preventive strategies can help alleviate problems and aftermath from not having an effective communicated plan. Organizations must be willing to allocate necessary resources in order to be prepared for a crisis situation. Underestimating the importance of developing a plan can prevent the demise of an organization affecting all interested parties. If no plan is in place, there are survival tactics used to guide an organization through troubled times, such as avoidance, image restoration, and “stealing thunder” (Lee, 2016, p. 337), all leading to different outcomes. There is also the evaluation of using full vs. limited disclosure strategies, and finally having the proper crisis team in place to manage and navigate through the crisis. Preventative As mentioned, all crisis cannot be avoided, however there are some crisis that with a proper planning could have been eliminated. According to Argenti (2015), such crisis can result from either negligence on behalf of the organization, or victimization from an outside source (p. 254). Once the crisis occurs, understanding where the organization is vulnerable becomes more evident. If organization would allocate more time and attention to these matters beforehand, less organizations would be a target for such crisis. Allowing for upward communication from the employees who are involved daily with areas that are vulnerable could prevent later crisis If upward communication is not present, organizations run the risk of, “strengthen existing patterns within a dysfunctional culture (Strandberg, 2011, p. 99). When an organization fails to plan, survival tactics such as avoidance, image restoration, and stealing thunder are utilized to handle the crisis. Survival Tactics One of the first tactical moves organizations will employ, will be an avoidance strategy. This strategy is not always successful but does serve a purpose for some management teams. When an avoidance strategy is utilized, management ignores the problem or denies that there is a situation, in the hopes that it will work itself out. By practicing a hands off approach, they run the risk of a disastrous outcome, as seen with Hurricane Katrina and the “blame game” Moynihan (2012) projected in his studies. Using an image restoration strategy is a survival tactic that contains a spectrum of different outcomes. However, of these different tactics, Roman and Moore (2012), suggests the only ethical actions are communicated through corrective action, which the company offers to correct the action, and mortification, where the organization admits they are wrong and asks for forgiveness (p.315). The final tactic discussed for organizations in the midst of a crisis is the attempt of “stealing thunder,” tactic. This is when an organization basically communicates the …show more content…
Kim, (2015) believes “ethics is essential in crisis communication and must be taken into consideration in all public relations practices” (p. 58). These beliefs led to her development of a new three-part ethics model. This model, helps to explain the what, how, and when in a crisis. Along with the relations practices, there are numerous other opportunities to falter and act in an unethical manner when in the midst of a crisis. This can be a reflection of the loss of faith in the goal or mission. In Matthew 8, the disciples in the boat are faced with sudden crisis and immediately forget their mission, and lose both faith and focus. “Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”” (Matthew 8:24-26, New International Version). The verse also stresses the importance of employing the best leader, to calm to people through the storm, and refocus their attention on the organizational
Strategies
Although all crisis cannot be prevented, developing preventive strategies can help alleviate problems and aftermath from not having an effective communicated plan. Organizations must be willing to allocate necessary resources in order to be prepared for a crisis situation. Underestimating the importance of developing a plan can prevent the demise of an organization affecting all interested parties. If no plan is in place, there are survival tactics used to guide an organization through troubled times, such as avoidance, image restoration, and “stealing thunder” (Lee, 2016, p. 337), all leading to different outcomes. There is also the evaluation of using full vs. limited disclosure strategies, and finally having the proper crisis team in place to manage and navigate through the crisis. Preventative As mentioned, all crisis cannot be avoided, however there are some crisis that with a proper planning could have been eliminated. According to Argenti (2015), such crisis can result from either negligence on behalf of the organization, or victimization from an outside source (p. 254). Once the crisis occurs, understanding where the organization is vulnerable becomes more evident. If organization would allocate more time and attention to these matters beforehand, less organizations would be a target for such crisis. Allowing for upward communication from the employees who are involved daily with areas that are vulnerable could prevent later crisis If upward communication is not present, organizations run the risk of, “strengthen existing patterns within a dysfunctional culture (Strandberg, 2011, p. 99). When an organization fails to plan, survival tactics such as avoidance, image restoration, and stealing thunder are utilized to handle the crisis. Survival Tactics One of the first tactical moves organizations will employ, will be an avoidance strategy. This strategy is not always successful but does serve a purpose for some management teams. When an avoidance strategy is utilized, management ignores the problem or denies that there is a situation, in the hopes that it will work itself out. By practicing a hands off approach, they run the risk of a disastrous outcome, as seen with Hurricane Katrina and the “blame game” Moynihan (2012) projected in his studies. Using an image restoration strategy is a survival tactic that contains a spectrum of different outcomes. However, of these different tactics, Roman and Moore (2012), suggests the only ethical actions are communicated through corrective action, which the company offers to correct the action, and mortification, where the organization admits they are wrong and asks for forgiveness (p.315). The final tactic discussed for organizations in the midst of a crisis is the attempt of “stealing thunder,” tactic. This is when an organization basically communicates the …show more content…
Kim, (2015) believes “ethics is essential in crisis communication and must be taken into consideration in all public relations practices” (p. 58). These beliefs led to her development of a new three-part ethics model. This model, helps to explain the what, how, and when in a crisis. Along with the relations practices, there are numerous other opportunities to falter and act in an unethical manner when in the midst of a crisis. This can be a reflection of the loss of faith in the goal or mission. In Matthew 8, the disciples in the boat are faced with sudden crisis and immediately forget their mission, and lose both faith and focus. “Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”” (Matthew 8:24-26, New International Version). The verse also stresses the importance of employing the best leader, to calm to people through the storm, and refocus their attention on the organizational