Over the last few months I have had the opportunity to study organizations in crisis. The dictionary defines crisis as a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something. A second definition is an "unstable period"
It seems we have no shortage of crises today. Everything from economic downturn to natural disasters to the leadership vacuum we are seeing in our country all have their unique crises that is causing a great deal of angst for people. While we are aware of the crises around us the big question is what do we do when a crisis hits?
It has been my experience, more often than not organizations seem to refuse to acknowledge there is a crisis. There may be a sense that something is wrong or that the problem will blow over, but honestly the crisis is brewing and most people simply refuse to believe there is a crisis. That is why leadership is so important in an organization. Leaders must define reality, they must be aware of what is happening in the organization and be aware if a problem is a potential crisis or not. Recognizing a potential crisis is key if an organization is going to navigate through a crisis.
There are other ways people respond when a crisis hits and we will look at these items over the next few days. Hopefully through these post one can make wise decisions when a crisis hits.
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