The Best Way to Prevent a Crisis Is to Anticipate It

Just as the best way to manage a crisis is to prevent it, the best way to prevent a crisis is to anticipate it and correct its potential causes in advance. You can’t anticipate every conceivable crisis your organization might face, but you can greatly improve your odds of avoiding many of them—and enhance your ability to survive unavoidable ones.

The most cost-effective way to anticipate the types of crises your organization is vulnerable to is to conduct a Vulnerability Audit. This is, at its best, the organizational equivalent of a full-blown fire inspection.

Typically a vulnerability audit is best done with an outside consultant, someone who can help you look at your organization and its operations with fresh eyes. Another advantage is that an experienced crisis management consultant will be able to spot many of the “red flags” that can indicate the potential for future crises, or that can exacerbate existing issues.