Action Steps, Page 2

Step 6: Identify Affected Audiences

Each organization has different audiences that could be impacted to one degree or another by a crisis situation. These audiences or stakeholders must be identified by the crisis team in order to design appropriate methods of communicating with each audience. Some communication methods may be the same, but others may differ.

Examples of audiences are:

• Customers
• Donors
• Employees
• Family Menbers of Employees
• General Public
• Media
• Neighboring Businesses
• Stockholders
• Board of Directors

Step 7: Develop Internal Crisis Communication Strategies

Immediately upon learning of a crisis, the crisis tem will engage in fact finding in order to assess the severity and scope of the crisis. It is important to remember that the goal of the team is to provide accurate, clear information with a goal of promoting safety of all concerned. Clear, accurate information will help stem panic and rumor, thus determining the facts is a priority.

Once the facts have been determined, the team will decide on the immediate steps to be followed and what procedures to follow to inform each affected audience. For example, the media audience should be contacted only by the company spokesperson.

Step 8: Contact the Crisis Implementation Team

Provide the team with an accurate summary of the situation and what specific steps should be taken. This includes exact duties of team members. For example, technical staff may be responsible to setup for news conferences and contact vendors for needed equipment.

Immediately upon learning of a crisis, the crisis tem will engage in fact finding in order to assess the severity and scope of the crisis. It is important to remember that the goal of the team is to provide accurate, clear information with a goal of promoting safety of all concerned. Clear, accurate information will help stem panic and rumor, thus determining the facts is a priority.

If the severity level is mild, and is isolated to one area or group within the company, communication can come from a supervisor who is responsible for the impacted area. The supervisor will work under the general supervision of his or her chain of command and, ultimately, the member of the crisis implementation team responsible for the affected department. Information will be communicated to employees through email, by phone or in small group meetings. In some cases, the crisis, though mild, will impact more than one area of the company. In this situation, the crisis implementation team members in charge of the involved departments will work together to determine the best way to communicate to the employees under their control.

If the severity level is moderate, internal communication will come from a member of either the crisis management team or the crisis implementation team. Again, each member of the crisis implementation team will be responsible for communicating to his or her area of operation. This communication could be written, spoken or electronic.

In the case of a severe or an extreme crisis situation, communication will come from the crisis team spokesperson. The communication could come in the form of an email, other written communiqué, company-wide meeting, teleconference, or other method. Supervisors will receive procedures from crisis implementation team members responsible for their respective departments.

Step 9: Develop an Evaluation Plan

Following any crisis plan for the crisis team and any other groups to meet to evaluate the effectiveness of the team response. Review every crisis at a quarterly crisis evaluation meeting.

Step 10: Identify External Communication Audiences and Strategies

Severe or extreme crises will likely involve external communication with audiences outside the company such as customers, stockholders and the media. The crisis team and crisis implementation team should make it very clear that all external communication should come from the crisis team spokesperson(s) in order to assure clear, accurate information is presented. If a press release or news conference is deemed necessary, information will come from the crisis team via the company spokesperson(s).

(See media relations section).

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