Whether you are putting together a plan in case of a PR crisis, or you are elbow deep in an ongoing public relations crisis, one of the most significant factors that will govern success or failure is the strength of the PR crisis management team you have put in place. To form a strong PR crisis management team, it is important to have the correct person in the right position that suits their particular strengths.
What is the purpose of a PR crisis management team?
The purpose of a PR crisis management team is to manage and lead individuals, communicate important information to all departments, analyse the problem as well as the potential damages. This core group will help to analyse the facts, put together a plan of action and then implement it in order to minimise damages which result because of the crisis
When putting together a team, there are a number of attributes that these people should possess:
Performs well under pressure
A PR crisis situation will push everyone to their limits which means that someone who is unable to perform under pressure will break and it will be a detriment to the team. PR crisis management team members need to be level headed and have the ability to remove their emotions from what is happening so that they do not feel as if they are overwhelmed.
Strong analytical skills
As these are the people who are leading the initiative, as well as solving the problem, it is essential that everyone on the PR crisis management team has strong problem-solving, in addition to, critical thinking skills. This will make sure that you come to the best conclusion in the most efficient way.
All team members should be competent at analysing and solving problems immediately as they arise. You need each member of the team to be able to solve a problem on their own so that they do not constitute a drain on your company resources.