From Zombies to lethal viruses, Hollywood loves making doomsday films about something deadly spreading around the world at an alarming rate that kills everyone. Wolfgang Petersen’s 1995 movie “Outbreak” brought pandemic’s to the big screen; alerting the masses as to just how fast an invisible threat can spread across our tiny planet. One of my…
Is this type of cyber attack inevitable? Are we prepared? Veteran newsman, Ted Koppel, is gaining a lot of attention for his new book, “Lights Out: A Cyberattack, a Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath.” In it, Koppel convincingly argues that a cyber attack against our nation’s computer- and Internet-dependent power grid by declared enemies…
“My company has a business continuity plan. Why do I need a crisis communication plan, too?” Business continuity and crisis management are increasingly on the minds of organizational leaders worldwide. As well they should be. Many senior leaders with a business continuity plan in place believe they are well prepared for a crisis. And…
When an incident happens it is essential that the top management of an organization establish, define and document their policy for crisis management, which includes clear directions and expectations. Related: How to Build a Strong Crisis Management Foundation It includes a statement of intent that clearly and concisely outlines their objectives, describes in broad terms how…
Kidnap, Ransom, and Extortion Scenario Planning The CEO lands in Rome for an executive leadership conference and never arrives at his hotel. Calls to his mobile phone go straight into voice mail. His scheduled driver and security detail in Rome have also gone missing. The clock is ticking….. What do you do? Crisis preparedness planning is…
It’s a harsh and inevitable reality: A crisis lurks just around the corner for all organizations. A well-tested, up-to-date crisis plan is therefore indispensable for ensuring business continuity and brand protection when reality strikes. But some plans are more effective than others, and the more effective ones include these five essential elements: 1. A…
When your organization encounters a crisis, say a fire, you’ll of course take immediate steps to put it out. But depending on how big the fire is, it could mean a prolonged crisis, and you’ll want to have some way of measuring its seriousness so you can act accordingly. Just as a doctor doesn’t…