During a crisis, the unknowns can be downright terrifying. As a self-proclaimed ‘worrywart,’ it can be easy to panic when things don’t go your way or when your life gets turned upside down.
A few years ago, I worked for Michigan State University’s Academic Orientation Program (yes, it’s a mouthful) to welcome new students into the Spartan family. At the end of the summer, I was voted ‘Most Likely to Have a Heart Attack’ because of my ‘worrywart’-like tendencies. I laughed it off at the time. But as I started my career, I knew this was not how I wanted to be known.
I want (and strive) to be that cool, calm and collected gal who sits at the table when decisions are being made. When stress gets the best of me, I take a deep breath and revisit my to-do list in the oh-so-very wonderful Basecamp. After all, I have a ‘Type A’ personality (like most other PR gurus).
We function best with a goal and a detailed action plan that will get us from point A to point B. We evaluate, plan and prepare for a crisis within an organization, before there is even a crisis. We’ve got the crisis communications plan fleshed out before your world turns upside down, and that's why we made our seventh #Truth, Make order out of chaos.
We are the port in the storm. When everyone else is panicking, we make lists, talk process and preach calm. We don’t see problems, we see solutions. We are a comfort and a resource to our clients, and each other.
When the world is spinning and you don’t know where, when or how to start, take a deep breath and call your team at P&G.
In the words of Olivia Pope – “It’s handled.”
