CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Crisis Management Plan (CMP) is a documented plan detailing the actions the executives want to be taken when a crisis strikes the organization. It is designed to put order into confusion. After a crisis has surfaced, the executives who have been selected to serve on the Crisis Management Team (CMT) will work together to achieve control of the crisis in order to minimize the impacts of the crisis. When a crisis has reached the acute stage, the team will employ the following steps:

1. Take charge quickly.
2. Determine the facts.
3. Tell your story.
4. Fix the problem.

Adhering to these steps will enable your organization to achieve control of the crisis. Remember that the key to successfully managing a crisis is to "Be Prepared."

Source: Crisis Management Planning and Execution by Edward S. Devlin, New York: Auerbach Publications, 2006.