Attainium Business Continuity NewsBriefs

No business continuity plan is complete unless it addresses the issue of communication� external communication and, most important, internal communication. The goal of any crisis communication plan should be to help you get back to business. The articles below offer help in getting your communication plan ready.

Glitches in plans can lead to communication failures. (Item #1) The key to effective crisis communication is to be prepared before a crisis occurs. (Item #2) These seven elements should be included in every crisis communications kit. (Item #3)

Blogs don't change the fundamental nature of a crisis, but they can change the basics of how we can respond. (Item #4) Don't think you can start a blog when the crisis hits you. (Item #5) Employees are among the first who need to know what's going on in a crisis. (Item #6)

As always, we look forward to hearing about your concerns with regards to business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like to see covered, please email me at [email protected]

Quote of the Week

"The problem with communication ... is the illusion that it has been accomplished."
- George Bernard Shaw -

1. Crisis communications and disaster response
Even the best-thought-out disaster-response plans are inadequate if they don't include effective means of communicating to first responders, citizens and emergency operations centers.
http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0339.htm

2. Crisis Communications: Before, During and After
"Good crisis communications is based on a system already in place," says former White House press secretary Marlin Fitzwater. "When there is a crisis, you just tighten it up and make it better� A crisis is no time to design a new system."
http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/pressoffice/crisis.htm

3. Seven Must-have Elements in Every Crisis Communications Kit
Chances are incredibly high that your organization is going to experience a crisis of some kind in the next 5 years. It's how you handle that crisis with the media which will likely determine whether that crisis builds or seriously damages your company.
http://www.globalprblogweek.com/archives/7_musthave_elements_.php

4. The Blog's New Role in Crisis Communications
The standard approach to responding to a crisis is to hunker down behind closed doors. Blogs can help companies remain accessible. You also want to monitor communications channels to catch misinformation early. Ultimately, you want to survive the crisis.
http://blog.fastcompany.com/archives/2005/01/26/the_blogs_new_role_in_crisis_communications.html

5. Crisis Blogs - Plan Them Well
Internet or intranet-based blogs have worked in situations including crisis response and recovery during and following natural disasters, clashes with anti corporate activists, financial and legal troubles, executive illness, industrial and transportation accidents, downsizing, and product recalls. But you need to determine how they can help you meet clearly defined objectives.
http://www.corporateblogging.info/2005/02/crisis-blogs-plan-them-well.asp

6. It's an Inside Job: Internal Crisis Communications
Internal audiences are as, if not more, important than external audiences during a crisis, and yet those who aren't actually on the crisis response team often receive the least consideration when the stuff hits the fan.
http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/docs/azatty4.html