International SOS has published a useful guide to help organizations prepare for and manage crises. The document, Building a Responsive and Effective Crisis Management Programme, seeks to position crisis management as a proactive rather than reactive strategy.
“We must reframe our perspective on crises, viewing them not as adversaries to be vanquished but as opportunities for reinvention and growth,” states Giles Hill, Global Head of Security Services at International SOS. “Crises, though inherently disruptive, serve as powerful crucibles for greater resilience and innovation. They expose latent vulnerabilities, sharpen decision making and compel organizations to think about agility – an essential capability in a volatile world. They are a brutally honest appraisal of an organization’s strategy and culture. Leaders and organizations that embrace crisis as a catalyst – not just as a threat – emerge stronger, with more agile systems, clearer priorities and greater competitive advantage, ensuring their organizations not only survive but thrive in the face of adversity.”
The guidance is structured around:
- Before the Crisis: Identify, Plan, Train: identifying systemic risks, organizing resources, and training teams to minimise potential impacts. This includes creating ad hoc teams with specific and complementary skills, and developing key documents such as crisis management policies, plans, communication strategies, and guides.
- Crisis Response: Mobilise, Control, Resolve: mobilising teams, controlling the situation, and resolving issues through rapid decision-making and clear communication. The paper outlines the importance of modular and agile response teams tailored to each crisis’s specificities.
- After the Crisis: Supporting, Analysing, Adapting: supporting teams, analysing the new ecosystem, and adapting strategies to better cope with future crises. This involves a structured approach to problem-solving, including identifying the desired end state, breaking it down into workstreams, prioritising them, and developing strategic intent and action plans.
