For each organisation, crisis management is the absolute minimum of continuity measures that should be taken. When a calamity occurs, it is after all the crisisteam that will have to limit the consequences at first, that is to speak to the press and is to decide whether emergency measures, like the continuity plan, should be taken.
The crisis team
The crisis team is managed by the chairman. Furthermore, it consists of a limited number of members and substitutes. The crisis team consists of organisational ‘key figures’, managers as well as line personnel. When composing the crisis team, special attention is to be paid to personality characteristics. In particular, whether the person in question is immune to stress, has the ability to keep calm in stressful situations and to show leadership in such situations. The hierarchical position can be of minor importance. When the crisis team is alarmed, the team member first contacted receives chairmanship. If necessary he/she devolves the responsibility when the formally assigned chairman has arrived. Ideally, the crisis team consists of a limited number of members who, minimally, represent the primary processes. In view of the crisis team manageability, it should not have more than six to eight individuals maximum. On an ad hoc basis, depending on the nature of the calamity and the necessary expertise, additional members may be temporarily assigned.
The crisis management plan
In the crisis management plan the procedures are documented. In here, the crisis management team activities to be undertaken, are sketched. These are described as basic ideas and serve as a handle for crisis managing under pressure of time. Constant guideline with this is the possibility to, regardless of nature and point of time of the calamity, alarm the crisis team instantly, enabling it to take immediate action. An univocal crisis management plan does not exist. It is clear that, in spite of all developed plans and excercises, new considerations will have to be made continuously. The ability to improvise is being greatly appealed to; decision-making takes place under enormous pressure while there may be a tendency to fall back on familiar values. Jus like calamities cannot be defined beforehand, it is also not possible to, beforehand, indicate precisely which activity will have to be executed at what moment, by whom and by which means.The main activities of the crisis management process consist of the following interrelated areas:
Crisis centre
The crisis centre is the location from which the crisis team operates. In here, all the means should be available to manage the crisis. The distance between an external crisis centre and the primary location should be such that, in case of a ‘worst case calamity’ at the latter, it can be reached in spite of road blocks. In all other cases an internal crisis centre suffices.
Access to a crisis centre should be limited and sufficiently protected. If a crisis team does not wish any disturbances while it is in an important decision-making process, this should be made possible. Secretarial asistance in the crisis team’s vicinity, ensuring its protection, is therefore essential. It must be possible to make the crisis centre operational round the clock. Position the crisis centre at a distance from the communication centre where communication with the press and other stakeholders can take place.
