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The crisis team is responsible for managing the organization and effectively navigating the crisis. Ideally, the crisis team possesses a precise overview of the current situation, identified bottlenecks, decisions made, and all pending and completed actions. This comprehensive understanding enables the team to engage in scenario planning, considering worst-case and best-case outcomes for the immediate future, the coming week, and the next month. In such a state, a crisis team is truly in control.
However, practical experience often reveals a different reality. This observation is reinforced by daily discussions with crisis managers across various sectors and by insights gained from dozens of crisis exercises. Many crisis teams descend into chaos or operate below their potential. Such teams often have an incomplete understanding of the situation and are unaware of developments across different departments. Consequently, they are compelled to search for information, a time-consuming and frustrating process, particularly as the crisis continuously evolves. As a result, the team cannot engage in proactive scenario planning and thus fails to achieve 'control'.
This is regrettable! Only a modest effort is required to achieve significant improvements and establish a robust foundation. The most substantial gains can be realized by effectively structuring your information management.
Firstly, it is imperative to ensure that the crisis team's internal information process is meticulously organized. Crisis meetings should be digitally logged, and the logbook must align with the team's decision-making model. Crucially, all decisions and actions should be recorded and made as concrete as possible. Display the logbook prominently for the crisis team on a large screen. This allows the team to utilize the logbook as a collective memory, ensuring all members share a consistent understanding. Such a practice significantly enhances decision-making.
However, the crisis team must also have access to accurate information to facilitate effective decision-making. In practice, I observe a prevalent reliance on phone calls, which is highly impractical as crisis team members are often unavailable when engaged in meetings. Moreover, one-on-one communication is inherently inefficient.
To advance your information management, it is essential to implement a system that enables departments to share information seamlessly with the crisis team. Initially, you must address key questions: who requires what information, and when? Furthermore, who is responsible for providing this information? Organizations often have these answers clearly outlined in their crisis or business continuity plans. If so, you merely need to translate this into structured questionnaires that departments can complete and submit to the crisis team.
In crisis management, these are commonly referred to as situation reports or 'sitraps'. If this information is not explicitly detailed in your crisis plan, there is no cause for concern. When I inquire with a crisis team member during an actual crisis or an exercise about the specific information they require from their department, I consistently receive a concrete and clear response. These individuals possess precise knowledge of their needs. Document this information, convert it into a standardized form, and you are well on your way! The final step is to integrate it into your information management system.
A robust information management system is therefore indispensable for any professional crisis organization. However, it is crucial to understand that systems do not manage crises; rather, it is people who make the decisive difference: crisis team members, crisis coordinators, team leaders, and staff. This is because humans possess the unique ability to think creatively and collaborate effectively to resolve complex problems. Issues arise only when individuals attempt to perform tasks that are best handled by systems. Such an approach is untenable when the continuity of your organization is at stake. Avoid this pitfall, as it inevitably leads to missed information and subsequent errors.
Conversely, systems are exceptionally adept at retaining, filtering, searching, sharing, and making information accessible. By meticulously documenting plans, protocols, and contact persons within these systems, and by ensuring that all crisis information is centrally recorded and readily accessible, personnel are then empowered to focus on their core competencies: creative problem-solving, strategic scenario planning, and collaborative efforts. This approach enables them to arrive at effective crisis solutions more swiftly, thereby limiting potential damage. Ultimately, this is the paramount objective.
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