If your organization should ever have the bad luck to be engulfed in a crisis, the best way to handle it is summarized in seven words: Tell the truth and tell it fast.
- High Feelings: A lesser known example of adroit crisis management occurred in 1993 when munitions from the World War I era were found buried in what is now a residential area of the District of Columbia. Community feelings ran very high, especially since a number of homes had to be evacuated. The army general with overall responsibility for the area took personal charge of the crisis. In addition to day-to-day crisis management, he held daily community meetings. Everyone, including the media, was invited. All questions were answered willingly and truthfully. In the end, the general earned such high marks from the citizenry that they voted to name a street in his honor.
- Minimize Damage:If you should have the misfortune to have to deal with a public crisis, it’s likely to be a formative experience for you and your organization. Minimize damage by making your guiding principles truth-telling and fair dealing.
Source: Adapted from Norman R. Augustine, Harvard Business Review on Crisis Management.
