How can you align your crisis communication plan with your organization's reputation management strategy?

The main thing to remember is that all risks are reputation risks. It could be service failure or a senior executive behaving badly - the result is the same, a potential hit to the organisation’s reputation. Here’s a tip: don’t spend too much time worrying about scenarios! War gaming can be fun but it wastes a lot of time. Why? Because the best crisis management plans are those that can be successfully deployed whatever the situation.

Depends. With some organisations the nature of their work means the main reputational risks are pretty clear. With almost every business or private sector body a reputational risk is that confidential data could be hacked and stolen, or revealed due to an error. But as a 'risk handling trainer' you really have to understand the nature of the client's work.

In my experience, it is better to be proactive versus reactive. Building a sustainable, positive reputation is created over time. Building trust is a fundamental aspect of a positive reputation. Organizations should strive to be seen as trustworthy and reliable in their interactions with customers, employees, partners, and the wider community. You need to demonstrate being client-centric, fostering thought leadership and innovation as well as social responsibility. Remember, reputation goals may vary depending on the nature of the organization, industry, and specific stakeholder expectations. It's important to regularly assess and adapt reputation goals to align with evolving trends, societal expectations, and stakeholder needs.

Reputation messages are supported by an organization having a strong overarching communications strategy in place. Your mission, vision and values should not be words only found in the about us section of your website. They should be effectively communicated through how you do business, and in how you speak about your organization. By having effective key messages consistently used with your target audiences, you develop a reputation in line with your goals. If and when a crisis occurs, your reputation messages will be supported through this history and not appear as performative. The quickest way to escalate an issue is to give stakeholders a reason to question your sincerity by pointing to actions that don’t align with your words.

How Challenges or Successes in Crisis Change You? Facing reputation challenges or successes amid a crisis can be a transformative journey for a person. Challenges teach humility, resilience, and the value of ethics. They lead to a profound realization of the importance of staying true to one's values. Successes boost confidence but should also remind us to stay humble and uphold our ethical standards. These experiences mold individuals into more empathetic, values-driven, and reputation-conscious leaders, adding depth and humanity to their character.