Strategic choices for managing potential crises

Abstract

Purpose

The article guides executives and their staff on how to respond to and manage a potential crisis as it is evolving.

Design/methodology/approach

The article offers three sets of questions that executives can use to help them clarify what is happening and what the appropriate response should be in the event of a potential crisis.

Findings

Every crisis is a business problem before it is a communication problem. Effective crisis response pairs smart action with smart communication.

Practical implications

The more candidly we articulate the problem, the more likely we are to effectively address it.

Originality/value

Among the many valuable insights in this article are these three: (1) Trust is the consequence of fulfilled expectations. (2) Framing decisions in light of stakeholder expectations leads to smarter choices faster, and maintains stakeholder trust. (3) Effective crisis response begins with a timely demonstration of caring.

Citation

Garcia, H.F. (2017), "Strategic choices for managing potential crises", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 45 No. 6, pp. 34-40. https://doi.org/10.1108/SL-08-2017-0082