Managing Mental Health in a Crisis: The Four Stages of Crisis Management
Explained by Ian Mitchell King, It is critical to build your organization’s credibility prior to the onset of a crisis situation. It is important to recognize and apologize to the victims of the circumstance if this is appropriate. Then make a commitment to resolving the problem while being transparent. After the crisis has passed, it is critical to communicate your corrective action plan and to address any problems that have occurred throughout the process. During the early phases of a crisis, there is no need to provide fresh information; nonetheless, you should position yourself as the source of the information and convey your side of the story to others.
Acute Crisis is defined as follows: This is the stage of a crisis that occurs immediately. Businesses that are adversely affected may see a decrease in sales or earnings, acquire a poor reputation, or become the target of unfavorable publicity. A comprehensive security breach has a negative impact on a company’s reputation as well. Once a crisis has begun, it is possible to begin the cleaning process. A detailed crisis response plan will allow you to make an educated choice about what measures to take in the event of a catastrophe.
Pre-crisis. This is the initial stage of a crisis, yet there is no crisis at this point in time. However, there are dangers associated. Responding to an emergency may take time, and if you are not prepared, you might lose your company. This is a critical step in the process. The ability to deal with a crisis successfully is unattainable without proper preparedness. You must take the initiative. It is not enough to respond swiftly; you must also prepare for it by doing research and planning ahead of time.
Ian Mitchell King thinks this is the case, Pre-crisis. The pre-crisis stage is a vital period in which to start your crisis response strategy. There are many steps to taking care of the issue. It is critical that you be well prepared. If you find yourself in the middle of a crisis, it is vital that you be prepared and have materials on hand that will help you maintain your composure. However, if a crisis does arise, it is critical that you maintain your composure and take efforts to recover as quickly as possible.
The third stage. This is the step of assigning blame. It ultimately boils down to who is to blame and why. For example, in the aftermath of the Gulf oil disaster, CEOs were harshly reprimanded for shifting responsibility away from the parties responsible. While this is an excellent opportunity to express sympathy for the victims, a crisis may also bring harm. It is now necessary to implement a fresh approach. It is important to interact with your staff at the fourth step of the process.
Base crisis stage is the first stage of a crisis. At this point, the situation has progressed to the point of being a full-fledged crisis. There are four steps to it. The first phase is known as the latent phase. This is the period during which the first signals of a crisis become visible. During this stage, challenges are discovered and methods are devised to address those concerns. This is the stage at which a completely new scenario emerges from the previous one. Often, this period is an excellent chance to take use of the public relations resources that are available.
Ian Mitchell King believes that, The post-crisis period is the most difficult period to navigate. It is critical for the organization to respond as fast as possible to the situation. A successful crisis response may help to improve a company’s image, but it can also create issues for the company. After a crisis has occurred, managing the situation might become much more challenging. This is why it is critical to be well prepared in the event of a disaster. For example, developing and implementing a crisis management strategy would be the first step to take.
Following the occurrence of a crisis, the following step is to meet the urgent requirements of the affected personnel. A plan provides as a basic guide for the team as they work toward their goals. At each level, a variety of choices must be made, and they must all be recorded. A crisis management strategy is merely a general guidance to follow during a crisis. During the fourth stage, the team members must determine the root reasons of the issue and devise a plan of action that is appropriate for the situation. In the event that the procedure fails, the team should begin planning for the next step.
After a crisis has happened, the organization must react in a timely and suitable manner. It is in the company’s best interests, as well as the best interests of the organization, to maintain their good image. The media, the general public, and workers all need to be aware of the problem and work together to resolve it. In addition, the crisis manager should be aware of any other possible dangers and be prepared to deal with them if they arise. The public’s obligation to safeguard the organization is, after all, their responsibility. It is critical to guarantee that it does not get entangled in the crisis situation.
