Managing a crisis

All organisations ignore the media at their peril. That is especially true in relation to situations that turn into news stories either because things have gone disastrously wrong or there is a perception of something negative having happened.

Once you are in the white heat of crisis, your may feel your time should be spent on resolving it with your colleagues. There is an instinct to pull up the drawbridge until you feel you have all the information you need to go public with. But in the gap between the media learning of the story and the point where you'd feel most comfortable making a full statement, your reputation lies exposed and vulnerable.

What you need at that time is calm, experienced advisers who can quickly assess what the potential for damage is, identify where the media coverage is going and what the implications are for you and your business. Then immediately devise and implement a comprehensive strategy to protect your reputation with the media as well as clients, suppliers and other key audiences.

Indigo has a sound track record in handling crises. We have managed everything from high profile CEO departures to safety scares, with individuals on the team who in the past have worked on civil emergencies such as Lockerbie, Piper Alpha, Dunblane, BSE and a host of other crises.