CRISIS MANAGEMENT
CONCLUSIONS
During a crisis, handle only the crisis.
There are two essential elements to handling a crisis:
On the policy or substantive side, you can take action to fix the problem; and On the communications side, you can keep the public, media and interest groups informed
of what you are doing and why.
A large part of crisis management is the communications element. Well-managed communications
can greatly assist your effective response to a crisis.
Because many crises confronting government involve more than one department, interdepartmental
co-operation and co-ordination is required. A crisis is no time to start discussing procedures
or dividing up responsibilities.
Crisis management procedures are essential. Managers must have a clear understanding of roles
and responsibilities, going into and during a crisis. Training and exercises facilitate a high
level of preparedness.
From a communications point of view, it is necessary to have a single message; to have clear,
accurate, reliable information; and the message should be delivered by a designated spokespersons
supported by sub-spokespersons drawing from the same information base.
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