Importance of a Crisis Management Communication Plan

A crisis can be defined as a turning point, our habitual strengths and coping mechanisms have been surpassed and a new approach has to be developed. According to Barnes (1984:115) “crisis intervention focuses on the reduction of anxiety in the client alongside the mobilisation of hope and the restoration of a sense of autonomy and control over the situation.

Crisis communication is the most important aspect of external and internal organization communication. This type of communication ranges from image restoration campaigns to employee turnover. In the articles that I have analyzed, I discovered many examples of crisis communications and its importance. I will discuss the Bridgestone-Firestone Corporation's image restoration campaign and explain Benoit's theory of image restoration. Also, I will discuss how crisis communications fits into public relations models. Two examples for discussion will be how supervisors should convey bad-news to their employees, and group communication within employee turnover. My last example for this discussion will be Bill Clinton's image repair discourse.

In reviewing the Institute of Medicine crisis standards of care report, “the committee concludes that there is an urgent and clear need for a single national set of guidance protocols for use during generalized crisis events”. Six recommendations were thought to be the basis of the standards developed.

The word “crisis” can be defined as any of the following definitions; “an emotionally significant event or radical change of status in a person's life; the decisive moment during an event; or an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending, especially: one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome.” (Crisis).

Within the first chapter of Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (2001), there were many things that caught my attention. Prior to the reading, I hadn’t thought about how different disaster preparedness would affect the elderly population, and how much consideration and planning is needed for them compared to the general population. I also wasn’t aware that such a high percentage of the elderly population developed chronic diseases. It would, however, make sense for the elderly population to require different treatment for these chronic diseases, and have different reactions to these diseases than the rest of the general population (Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication, 2014).

Communication is also very critical in the case of a catastrophic event. Thus, the first respondent need to be a good communicator for communication is an essential part in response to a catastrophic event (Pope, 2005). It is also the responsibility of the first respondent to have a practical plan to implement in case an emergency erupted following the catastrophic event. The aftermath of a catastrophic event is highly unpredictable and emergencies cannot be overlooked. It is, therefore, the

Each member should only communicate approved messages. The primary group of participants that should be informed about the crisis are internal stakeholders, such as students, faculty, staff, and trustees. Secondary groups would include parents, alumni, elected officials, and the media. The following lists these groups in notification priority and the specific person responsible for crisis communication:

“A crisis occurs when a stressful life event overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope effectively in the face of a perceived challenge or threat” (Arnold & Boggs, 2011, pg. 415). When people are in a crisis situation they tend to forget their normal coping measures. When people train on crisis situations, they tend to perform better during a crisis event. “A favorable outcome depends on the person’s interpretation of the crisis, perception of coping ability, resources, and level of social support” (Arnold & Boggs, 2011, pg. 416).

What is a crisis? A crisis is a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. It’s also something that can just happen randomly at any point in time, that you are never prepared for. It’s a disaster that can never be prepared for. My disaster I’m going to write about is the aftermath that I got to experience personally of a crisis. On April 27th 2011, a massive tornados stretched across Mississippi, Georgia, and broke through Alabama, 60 to be exact. One especially destroyed Ohatchee Alabama and Shoal Creek Valley.

Learning how to communicate something successfully is just as important as it is to decipher it. Given these points, it is especially important to pay attention to what the author is trying to convey with crisis communication to assist in protecting the situation or the individual as best as one

An effective crisis management response plan outlines specific procedures for administrator, teachers, and students during evacuation emergencies. Administrators work with teachers, students, parents, law enforcement officers, business and community members, to develop an effective emergency and crises plan. The administrator provides leadership in developing and monitoring the school safety plan and also establishes procedures for emergency evacuation and crisis management at different stages of the plan. However, an effective leader develops a comprehensive prevention education plan, and regularly reviews the code of conduct manual for revisions and current laws.

What is a crisis management? It is an unexpected crisis that happens on the company that will affect the trust and loyalty of the stakeholder. It can be extremely costly because it will affect the company reputation and brand. For example like financial failure from poor business management, workplace violence, fires, cybercrime, computer viruses, product tampering or union strikes and other external issue like damaged economy that causes from London bombings, terrorists attacks on 11 September and others. The SHRM 2005 report indicates that only 56% organizations created or revised their disaster preparedness plans but 45% did not after the terrorist attacked on

The company eBay Inc. is an American multinational Internet consumer-to-consumer corporation. Founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar in San Jose, California, it is now a multi-billion dollar business with operations localized in over thirty countries including China and India. It’s main enterprise is eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website that allows people and businesses to buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services internationally. Millions of collectibles, décor, appliances, computers, furnishings, equipment, domain names, vehicles, services, intangibles and other miscellaneous items are listed, bought, or sold daily on eBay. Anything can be auctioned on the site as long as it is not illegal and does not violate the eBay’s Prohibited and Restricted Items policy.

Over the past few decades, the significance, magnitude and consequence of risk management and communication have been brought before the world over and over again in a number of situations related to health, terrorist activities, natural disasters etc. When one turns the pages of history, it is rather obvious that lack of planning and absence of resources due to unpreparedness makes it difficult for the concerned authorities to manage an emergency or epidemic a problematic and traumatic task. The chaotic situations can turn out to be more nerve-racking and tense when preparations are not made before hand (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2002).

This report outlines the current crisis situation and provides a range of crisis communication strategies and methodologies that are suggested for use immediately.