End the decade in a Crisis!

There is not a year goes by without a crisis. It is the way of the world!  What should not be is your preparedness for one.

Smouldering issues that erupt into a full-blown crisis continue to dominate the headlines. Discrimination, mismanagement and white-collar crime are all in the headlines.

If you are in the banking and finance services sector you are on top of the list for 2019, just as you were in 2018. Technology failures and cyber-crimes and security are also there, along with failures in the automotive sector, transportation, food industries and governments.

Unfortunately, just over half of all organisations have a crisis plan. Many undertake piecemeal efforts to prepare for its effective implementation and many have a plan that is so outdated that it is a liability to risks for financial and reputational damage; let alone perception damage.

Before you get too far into 2019 heed the warning. Crisis will occur; so, set aside a day to

• examine your organisations vulnerabilities and develop strategies to address them;
• prepare for the emergence of the ‘new media journalists’ of social media with videos and ill-informed commentaries;
• establish a ‘readiness’ crisis communication room; and
• update your crisis plan with new names, contact details and processes and procedures.

Just remember we ended 2018 with an absurdity of how onions and sausages should be on a bread roll, using sandpaper to change a cricket ball, Porsche and BMW owners thinking they can drive through flooded roads, Ministers thinking they can get away with moral stupidity, bankers and financiers thinking they deserve to be rewarded for ripping off their customers, and some politicians being too arrogant to listen to their constituents.

As we end the decade, put optimism into your thinking and be prepared for what may come around the corner. Review your plan, test it and seek help when necessary. Our team was part of a proportion of more than 800,000 crisis tracked worldwide this year. We are experienced, knowledgable and have the software to enable efficiency and collaboration.