What Happens When the Sirens Stop? 

Image/Author: Steve Gibson

When a critical incident strikes, every second counts.  

What many businesses fail to realise is this: it’s not the incident itself that determines your survival – it’s how your leaders respond in the minutes, hours and days that follow.

Whether it’s a workplace accident, natural disaster, security threat or public scandal, you can prepare for the unplanned.

We’ve seen firsthand how small and medium-sized businesses can be blindsided by events they never imagined would happen to them. They’re understandably focussed on operations, growth and serving customers, not crisis leadership. So, the truth is, most are not ready.

But when a serious incident occurs, ‘the business’ – staff, customers, shareholders, suppliers – looks to its managers to take control, manage risk and minimise damage. If they’re unprepared, confusion, panic and reputational damage follow quickly.

Here are three critical truths we share with every Critical Path Protection client:

1. In a crisis, your best decision-makers might not be available
   Key leaders may be on leave, injured or emotionally overwhelmed, so a plan that relies on one person is no plan at all.
2. The media will move faster than you will
   With one post or tweet, a situation can spiral. Managers must be ready to control the narrative, not just respond to it.
3. The first 60 minutes matter more than the next 60 days
   Early actions – or inactions – set the tone for recovery, investigations and public trust. Delay is dangerous.

So how do you prepare your team?

Not with a 50-page manual that gathers dust, or with generic online modules. You must help your leaders to confidently lead by ensuring they are prepared for even the most unexpected incident. That means taking the time to consider in advance what critical incidents might happen on their watch; creating a plan of response; and then equipping your managers and leaders with guidelines on how and when to respond. 

No how-to manual or video will replicate the pressure of a true critical incident. Practical preparation and practice through scenario-based training lets managers learn first-hand how to lead, communicate, and protect the business confidently, under pressure.  

Expect the best, but be prepared for the worst, because the cost of not preparing is often far greater than the cost of training. 

Critical Path Protection in partnership with OSACO NZ can help you get your team crisis-ready, before the crisis happens.