APRIL 18 2023
How to avoid the bread falling on the buttered side?
Defying Murphy in times of crisis is what every business would like to do. But what if it were possible to get the bread to fall on the right side, with preparation and resilience?Ha... Murphy's Law! The one that makes the computer shut down when you haven't yet saved the super-important document you were working on, the one that makes it rain every time you take a day off, or the one that makes the slides refuse to be displayed during an important presentation...
Murphy's Law is well known: anything that can go wrong will go wrong. And crises are no exception. The crisis will not have the courtesy to wait until 10am Monday morning to strike.
But while Murphy's Law would lead us to condemn any initiative, let's not give in to fatality and negativity bias, and instead see it as a hymn to preparation and a call to take all possible precautions for a project. In terms of crisis communication, this means anticipating difficult situations, identifying risks, and putting in place action plans to deal with them.
Because crises do not just happen at the wrong time, they also happen unpredictably. This is why it is important to be constantly prepared, to be vigilant and to listen to the warning signs.
Looking out for the unexpected
By planning for the worst, by preparing for the maximum number of scenarios that a company could encounter during a crisis, it is possible to develop strategies to resist the hazards and make the bread fall on the right side.
But even if everything has been planned, there will always be unforeseen events.
So drop the horseshoes or other gimmicks, and don't wait for the crisis to fall on you, but rather anticipate the risks, be prepared all the time, be responsive, and turn difficult situations into opportunities to build resilience in your business.
Author: Jennifer Pierrard - Adapted into English by Natalia Núñez Bolaño
