Crafting a Crisis Blueprint

What is a Crisis?

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Any unexpected event that that threatens the integrity of an organization and its ability to

conduct everyday affairs

Common Crisis Components

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Causes of Today’s “Crisis of Crises”

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Preventing a Crisis

Unlike a normal audit of practices, crises often require action within a very short time frame

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Essential Questions to Consider When Confronting a Crisis

• What are the charges?

• Who are key players and biggest stakeholders?

• What information is missing and easily attainable?

• Should we respond right away?

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Evaluating a Crisis

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Options for Response

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Preparing Crisis Respondents

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Trap Questions

Pick Your Poison Questioner poses two unacceptable choices from which a spokesperson is asked to choose

Do not accept the premises; provide an answer consistent with the organization’s values and positions

Secret Agent Questioner refers to information from an unknown source

Never verify an unsubstantiated position

Jeopardy A series of questions asked rapid-fire

Do not get caught in the barrage of questions; answer those which are most important to the crisis at hand

Try a Little Tenderness Questioner is impassioned and uses an emotional appeal to cast your organization negatively

Express sympathy and reassure that all necessary measures will be taken to correct the issue. If available, give specific examples of how the problem is currently being addressed

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Conclusion

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