How to Handle Crises Management

In my book, The Servant Manager, 203 tips from the best places to work in America, I offer a chapter with 5 tips on How to Manage in a Crises Environment.  However I was struck at the clear concise commentary offered by the free Program on Negotiation publication offered by the Harvard Law School that became available this month on crises management, and I wanted to share this with you.   The publication offers advice on how to crises situations into collaborative situations.  Having had experiences like this early in my career with public workshops and public meetings when negative incorrect information was circulated by antagonists, I found the commentary insightful.  This may help you or your clients to prepare for these types of situations.

Here is an outline of the publication:

“Apply lessons learned from hostage negotiators

1.       Contain the situation

2.       Expand the “emotional pie”

3.       Build relationships

Avoid disasters through careful planning

1.       Weigh long-term matters

2.       Challenge broken systems

3.       Negotiate in stages

Negotiate productivity with an angry public

Head off impasse through open negotiation

1.       A looming deadline

2.       A useful precedent

3.       Improved communication”

In short, I think this quick 10 page read can provide you with some very good ideas. 

When I wrote the chapter on How to Manage in a Crises in The Servant Manager book, I was struck that leadership in some firms indicated they never have a crises.  I thought really?   What happens when a water pipe breaks over the weekend above your offices and destroys employee work stations, or someone assaults one of your employees and essentially takes a key performer out of commission for a while, or you have a major public relations issue that you did not anticipate?  Perhaps these never happen to you, but I have experienced each of these and so have many others. 

You can react to it when it happens, or you could have prepared for what happens if there is a crises and how you may respond to the situation. Firms that have had this happen typically learn the hard way and put together a plan after the first crises to plan for the next one.   This article offers some good advice and may allow you to either do some planning now or save this for when you do have a crises someday.

Michael Gregory, ASA, CVA, MBA is an expert in conflict resolution dedicated to making individuals, organizations, thought-leading entrepreneurs and executives more successful. Michael’s books, including his NEW BOOK Peaceful Resolutions: A 60-step illustrated guide to conflict resolution are available at this link.  Free resources are available online at www.mikegreg.com. Check out the blog.  Contact Mike directly at mg@mikegreg.com or call (651) 633-5311.