What really happens when a crisis hits an organization—and how technology is influencing decisions and reputation impacts. Come hear what happened when experienced leaders were actually in the middle of a crisis—and capture the lessons before it happens to you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.
Your host, Tom Mueller, is a veteran crisis manager and trainer with more than 30 years in the corporate communications and crisis fields. Tom currently works as an executive coach and crisis trainer with WPNT Communications, and as a contract public information officer and trainer through his personal company, Tom Mueller Communications LLC.
Our goal is to help you grow your knowledge and awareness so you can be better prepared to lead should a major crisis threaten your organization.
Music credit: Special thanks to Nick Longoria from Austin, Texas for creating the theme music for the podcast.
Are you ready to seize the reins and lead in a crisis? Today, we pivot to a podcast short that lasers in on prepping for your upcoming crisis exercise. As we head into the fourth quarter, when many firms stage their annual crisis drills, we thought it timely to arm you with some tips to help you be successful in your next exercise. We firmly believe that every member of a response team can step up as a leader during a crisis, and this episode is all about enabling you to do just that.
Expect a thorough seven-point blueprint to ensure you stride into your next drill ready to face any hurdle. We stress on the importance of entering the room with an unambiguous plan, setting up a clear approval procedure, knowing your response resources, prepping FAQs and fact sheets beforehand, keeping your team in the loop, and leading with an upbeat energy. We also discuss the crucial role experienced personnel can play in guiding your team through the exercise. Remember, leadership can spring from anywhere, and these exercises are a golden chance to display your potential. Enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to like and subscribe!
We'd love to hear from you. Email the show at Tom@leadinginacrisis.com.
Tom Mueller
Hi everyone and welcome to the Leading in a Crisis podcast . I'm Tom Mueller . Today we're going to do something a little different . We're going to do what we call a podcast short . That's where we focus on an issue in a shorter segment to just bring a little extra focus to it . Our subject today is going to be preparing for your crisis exercise . We're coming up on the fourth quarter and that's when many major companies do their big crisis exercises for the year . So , in preparation for that , we wanted to just offer some tips for you to get ready for your next exercise and to be prepared to lead effectively in a crisis .
Tom Mueller
In my view , every single person who joins your response team has the opportunity to lead in a crisis . Some will lead in big ways , but most will lead in smaller ways , by being prepared to work , by having materials prepared in advance , by helping others get things done during the exercise , or maybe by helping new staff get oriented and up to speed quickly . The point being , each one of us has an opportunity to lead in a crisis situation . We just have to take the initiative , step up and do it . A couple of points to kind of get you thinking about your exercise . First point have a plan . Whatever position you might hold in a response , walk into the room with a plan for how you will address the first day or two of the incident . If you're an assistant PIO , walk into the room with a plan . That might include knowing which products you want to produce on the first day and maybe the second day , and setting timelines for delivery of those documents . Setting deadlines helps your team prioritize their work and helps response leaders know what to expect . So the point being , walk into the room with a plan . Know what you want to get done . Point two establish a clear approval process . Walk into the room with a one page document that spells out the approval process and the delegated authority that you want from command . This will save time early on and will help you secure the authority you need to be proactive in your communications . Be as specific as you can in that approval document .
Tom Mueller
Point three know your response resources . If you are dealing with an offshore spill response in the Gulf of Mexico or on the other coasts , odds are pretty good that you already have contracted with an oil spill response organization . They are part of your response plan . That response firm will bring specific resources to bear once you mobilize them . Those resources will include things like boom skimmers , ships , aircraft and dispersants . You can find out today what those specific resources are and have a fact sheet or an FAQ already built . That information can become part of your response story very early in the response . It just takes a little bit of research and some advanced work on your part . Point four prepare some FAQs and fact sheets in advance .
Tom Mueller
Point 4: Prepare some FAQs and fact sheets in advance . Many of the processes that are going to be used by the incident management team are already mapped out . If you know and understand those processes , you can talk about them and educate the public about them . For example , if oil from a spill is likely to impact the shoreline , there are certain processes that will be followed to help protect the shoreline before oil hits . That includes dispatching scat teams to document the baseline condition of the beaches . There will likely be beach cleaning to remove any organic matter or trash prior to oil hitting the shore . Cleaning this material off the beaches minimizes the amount of hazardous waste created , because anything oil touches becomes a hazardous waste and it has to then be disposed of properly . Cleaning the beaches ahead of time minimizes the amount of hazardous waste that is created . Again , if you're familiar with this process , you can talk about that . You can include that in your early talking points , fact sheets and press releases .
Tom Mueller
Point five: share information . Share information and keep your team informed . That means having a plan for how you will share information from your activities with the broader response team as well as with your own team . If you are the PIO or a section chief , update your team often with what you're hearing , keep them informed and , of course , you're going to be sharing information with the external world . That's a whole different animal . The point here that I'm making is that even within the response , you need to be able to share information effectively within your team and within the broader response organization . Try to make a point to do that .
Tom Mueller
Point six bring solutions . When problems or challenges emerge , be the person who finds a solution . Don't be the person who points out problems but hasn't bothered to think about how to fix those problems . That's a quick way to find yourself demobilized and out of the action . Be a problem solver and bring solutions . Your team will thank you and recognize the leadership you are displaying .
Tom Mueller
This exercise , or this crisis response , is a stressful situation . Be supportive and encouraging of your colleagues in the response . You may feel a lot of pressure dealing with the incident and leading your team . You will most certainly feel stressed and not everyone deals with stress well , so remind people to take a break every once in a while . Pay attention to your people and see who looks stressed out . Tell them to walk around and visit with the other sections to see what they're doing to move the response forward . Doing this can help you feel like you're part of something bigger and understand how you fit into the bigger response picture . Then get back to work .
Tom Mueller
Point 8: Bring in some experienced staff to coach your team . if it makes sense for your company , bring in some experienced staff who can coach your team through the exercise and help them be successful . I'm happy to help you with that , as is my co-host , Mark Mullen . We're very accustomed to coaching teams during major crisis exercises . We'd love to help your team as well . So there you have our quick points for preparing for your next crisis exercise . In many sense , these are common sense type things you can do , but it does identify a number of activities you can undertake today , before your exercise , to prepare yourself , to prepare your team and to prepare materials . Good luck with your exercise . Look for those opportunities to lead and be encouraging of your teammates in their efforts to be effective leaders in a crisis . Thanks for listening . If you like this podcast , please like and subscribe to it , and we'll see you again very soon with another episode .
