| Identifying
your crisis is the most important step in dealing with the sticky situation.
A scale has been developed in order to help pin-point the impact it will
have (low-high). It is important to anticipate a most negative scenario
in order to be prepared for the worst. Now you should be able to tackle
any problem with ease.
To effectively
use the Crisis Barometer, identify a specific crisis. Ask those involved
to answer the following questions, giving each a 1 to 10 "impact" rating.
One (1) is the least significant; ten (10) being the greatest impact.
What
is the chance this potential crisis will...
- Increase
in intensity?
- Draw
close media/government scrutiny?
- Interrupt
daily operations?
- Negatively
affect your organization's public image?
- Affect
the bottom line?
Tally
your score then divide by (5) to reach the specific "impact" of
that crisis. Record it on the grid above. Then check the probability
of such a crisis based on internal and external factors including
the history of such occurrences in your industry or profession and
current or future changes taking place.
This
is not the time or place to play it conservatively. Honestly preparing
for the worst possible scenario helps you determine when and where
to assign your resources. Honestly assessing and adequately preparing
you and your organization can avert many potential crises. you can
also more quickly and effectively react to those beyond your control.
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