The Dangote headlines have kept me reading the papers over the past few days. It seems that each and every organization and individual is inevitably going to go through a crisis. Zambeef went through it. Vedenta (spelling) went through it. Most companies decide to Deny allegations while others decide to accept responsibility. Coombs defines a crisis as a sudden and unexpected event that threatens to disrupt an organization (or perhaps even an individual)s operations and poses either a financial or a reputational threat or both. Crises can harm stakeholders physically, emotionally and/or financially. This is true both in business and in our personal lives. What we do amidst a crisis can change us and the people around us forever. Recently, a pastor was accused of raping young girls in Kitwe. His response to the crisis was to commit suicide. In a different circumstance and scenario, when former Minister of Justice was fired, he made no statement. Until today, I have not read a single article that suggests he responded to this personal crisis of his. It has been quite interesting for me to study and observe how different organizations and individuals deal with crisis. Being an emotional human being, I know how I deal with my personal crises and how I adapt and get myself back in the right frame of mind. I will admit that this is a learning curve and sometimes I manage crisis better than others but I always learn from an experience and better prepare myself for the next. I have also learnt that when things are not going my way, my emotions are my enemy. I would like to know how other people manage crisis though, in both their personal lives and in their organizations. What is your personal experience with organizational or individual crises? Have you ever dealt with negative publicity? How did you manage that crisis? What would be your recommendation on individuals or organizations in reducing the negative impact of a crisis- e.g in the case of Dangote?
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 17:57:08 +0000