5 Ways to Prepare Your Organization for a New Era of Crisis

Organizations of all sizes and sectors are facing a new risk landscape. PWC reports 96% of organizations have experienced disruption in the past two years, with 76% of leaders saying disruption had a medium to high impact on business operations. The speed, scale and complexity of modern challenges demand that leaders build cultures of resilience alongside formal crisis plans. Organizations that lead with transparency, trust and action will be best positioned to navigate periods of uncertainty and emerge stronger on the other side. 

Here are five critical actions your organization can take now to prepare for a new era of crisis:

1. Refresh and stress test your messaging and scenario plans

Today’s risks are increasingly varied and dynamic. Prioritizing preparation, flexibility and agile communication plans will give organizations a stronger foundation to pivot from when issues arise.  

Going through a scenario planning exercise can help leadership and crisis teams brainstorm the unique issues presenting the greatest threats to your organization. Some of the highest-risk areas facing companies today include:  

• Supply chain logistics, pricing and tariffs  

• Misinformation 

• Artificial intelligence 

• Regulatory instability and unexpected policy changes  

• Data and security breaches 

Communicators, crisis teams and leaders must keep pace and customize plans and messaging to fully prepare for the growing risks facing today’s organizations. 

2. Check in on your crisis framework, team and training processes 

Many organizations treat crisis planning as a one-time task, but it’s best managed as a living system that evolves with the business, the market and the world. 

Effective crisis plans should include: 

• Clear definitions of what constitutes an issue vs. a crisis 

• Escalation protocols 

• Pre-approved core messages 

• Identified and trained spokespeople 

• Defined response teams and workflows 

• Communication templates and stakeholder maps 

• Monitoring and escalation tools 

• Integration with DEI, ESG and business continuity strategies 

A crisis plan is only as good as the team that manages it. Regular drills and tabletop exercises help build muscle memory and surface gaps before they become liabilities. Conduct annual simulations and training to test readiness and prepare teams for real-time decision-making.  

3. Invest in building leadership credibility before a crisis hits 

Leaders who work to earn trust during times of stability are more effective in a crisis. While credibility is tested during high-stakes moments, it is built through consistent, transparent and reliable connection and communication every day. 

Leadership readiness is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most important components of a crisis response. It is essential that leaders understand their roles and responsibilities in a crisis. Equip your leaders with communication coaching and tools to empower them to respond with speed, authenticity and empathy when it matters most. 

4. Make living your values a daily practice

Crises often reveal who organizations are at their core. Your organization’s values should serve a purpose beyond inspirational corporate jargon. Living out values consistently — from strategic decision-making to day-to-day operations — will prepare your organization, and your leaders, to lean into and uphold these values when the stakes are high. Living your values can take many forms, including:
 

• Leaders asking, “would this align with our values?” to guide decisions, build strategy and support culture 

• Employees seeing leaders embody values each day, so they trust leaders to respond similarly in a crisis and feel empowered to do the same 

• Internal messaging is consistently grounded in your organization’s overall purpose/mission and values and in shared agreements for how your team operates 

5. Create systems to help you listen inside and out

It’s not enough to broadcast your messaging. Listening, within and outside your organization, is one of the best methods to prevent your team from being surprised by resistance or strong sentiments during a crisis. 

Leaders and communication teams should have systems in place to check in with teams and ladder up any common concerns or questions.  

Assign a team member to listen to external conversations and to understand sentiment and customer conversation trends during times of normalcy and times of upheaval. This could include:  

• Monitoring brand, product or service mentions on social media and online forums — keeping an eye out for any hashtags or keywords gaining traction 

• Using a sentiment analysis tool to understand the tone and overall public perception surrounding your brand 

• Monitoring key marketplace issues 

• Regularly checking in with key stakeholders 

Understanding misconceptions, questions or frustrations can guide your team’s messaging and approach to get the facts to your key stakeholders.
 

The bottom line 

A crisis doesn’t have to define your organization, but your response absolutely will. In this new era of risk, strategy and culture are your organization’s guiding lights. Communication and crisis teams that focus on looking to the horizon, engaging and preparing leaders and regularly refreshing materials today will be in a strong position to protect their reputation, create connections and build trust in the future when a crisis or high-stakes issue happens.  

Beehive helps organizations anticipate challenges, activate purpose and move forward, stronger than before. 

Need help preparing for the unexpected? 

Schedule a free consultation with Beehive’s crisis communication experts.