Managing Crises
●There is a tension between planning for a crisis and actually dealing with a crisis.The more elaborate a plan is，the more likely it is to be ignored in an actual crisis.Often，responses to crises need to be thought out on the spot，though guided by previous thinking and practice.
●There is a need to identify lines of authority，roles and responsibilities and means of coordination，leaving key identified individuals with a significant amount of autonomy to act as appropriate to the circumstances.
●An effective integrated command system(ICS)has been proven to be particularly helpful where crises require a response from a network of organizations and where there is potential for confusion as to lines of command given the number of different players involved.The structure of an ICS is illustrated in Figure 2.
●Standard practices with regard to reporting and the use of standard operating protocols can be of valuable assistance in managing a crisis.
Figure 2 Structure of an Integrated Command System
●But there is a danger that standardization can limit flexible responses.Standardization can encourage sticking with“tried and tested”ways of doing things rather than encouraging unlearning of failed activities in a situation that requires new thinking.
●In the early stages of a crisis，leaders need to assess what information is crucial and what information they need to gather.There may be a paradoxical danger of information overload in some areas and complete lack of information in others.(https://www.daowen.com)
●Leaders do not have the capacity to respond to all situations themselves，and this requires the authorization and delegation of speedier decisionmaking than that normally associated with traditional hierarchies.
●A significant part of crisis management is about managing the message going out to the public in situations that do not lend themselves easily to routine communications.
●External communications are vital for both operational and symbolic purposes during a crisis.Symbolically，communications can foster a positive image of crisis response，provide an opportunity to empathize with those affected by the crisis，and demonstrate the will to resolve the crisis.
●For both communications and other aspects of crisis management，the application of newer technologies such as Web 2.0[2]can provide important supports，as well as significant new challenges.
●Newer technologies can also be used to enable organizations to track，disseminate and communicate information during a crisis.