Whether you are preparing a plan in case of a crisis or you are elbow deep in an ongoing crisis, one of the biggest factors that will determine success or failure is the strength of the crisis management team you have in place. To form a strong team, it is important to have the right person in the position that suits their individual strengths.

The purpose of a crisis management team is to manage and lead individuals, communicate important information to all departments, and analyze the problem and potential damages.

Crisis management team roles:

• Department Heads
• Executive Team
• Board of Directors representative
• Communications and Marketing Managers
• Human Resources

This core group will help to analyze the circumstances, determine a plan of action, and implement it in order to minimize damages as a result of the crisis.

Team attributes include:

Performs Under Pressure

A crisis situation will push everyone to their limits and someone who cannot perform under pressure will break and it will be a detriment to the team. Team members should be level-headed and able to remove their emotions from the situation so that they do not feel overwhelmed.

Strong Analytical Skills

Because these are the people leading the initiative and solving the problem, it is essential that everyone has strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This will ensure that you come to the best conclusion in the most efficient way. All team members should be competent at analyzing and solving problems on the fly as they arise. You need each member to be able to solve a problem on their own so that they are not a drain on resources.

Communicates Clearly and Efficiently

Each team member will probably, at some point, be called on to address some audience and share information about the crisis situation. A team member that lacks good communication skills could be a detriment to the team’s mission. It is best that your leadership has the ability to communicate a strong message and that everyone on the team is clear as to what that message is.

Has a Collaborative Mindset

As a team, you all have strengths and weaknesses, and it is imperative that you all work together to come up with the best plan and solution. Any team member, regardless of their skills, will be working against the team if they cannot work with the team. In order to reach the best result, all team members must be working together to achieve the same goal.

If you have questions about building a crisis management team, please contact Darren Richards at 813.228.0652 or via email at drichards@tuckerhall.com to learn how Tucker/Hall can assist you in navigating your crisis situation.