Preparing for Crisis: How to Keep Bad Situations from Getting Worse
No one likes to think about a crisis. But whether you’re leading a business, a nonprofit, or a community organization, the reality is that at some point you’ll face one. The question isn’t if—it’s when. And when it comes, will you be ready?
The truth is, most crises don’t announce themselves. They show up quickly and often at the worst possible moment. That’s why one of the smartest ways to prepare is surprisingly simple: game out possible scenarios in advance.
Playing “What If”
Think of it like a fire drill for your reputation. Gather your team around the table and start asking “what if?”
What if our data gets hacked?
What if a senior executive suddenly resigns?
What if something goes wrong at one of our events?
What if we’re criticized publicly on social media?
What if an employee incident makes headlines?
By walking through these situations before they happen, you don’t just brainstorm — you uncover hidden vulnerabilities, identify decision-makers, and clarify how information flows through your organization.
What You’ll Discover
When you game out a crisis, three critical things rise to the surface:
Who needs to be involved. Not everyone on your payroll needs to be part of crisis response. But knowing exactly which people must be in the room — leadership, legal, communications, HR, IT, or operations — prevents confusion and duplication of effort.
What information you’ll need access to. Every crisis requires fast answers. Do you know where your customer records, financial documents, emergency contacts, or vendor contracts live? Do you have the passwords, phone numbers, and backups handy? Practicing ahead of time ensures you’re not fumbling in the moment.
What actions need to be taken first. Crises create stress, and stress can paralyze. But when you’ve already outlined your first three or four moves, your team can execute quickly and with confidence. Instead of hesitation, you’ll move decisively.
Why It Matters
Crisis preparation isn’t about predicting the exact future. You’ll never anticipate every scenario. But when you’ve practiced different possibilities, you create a mindset of readiness and a culture of responsiveness.
Most of crisis communication is about alignment — making sure your entire team is working from the same playbook. That means no guessing about roles, no second-guessing who’s in charge, and no wasted time debating the basics.
Think of it like sports: a team that practices together may not know exactly what play the opponent will run, but they know their own playbook cold. That’s what allows them to adapt and win under pressure.
The Cost of Not Preparing
Organizations that skip this step usually pay the price. Without preparation, crises often spiral out of control. Leaders end up giving conflicting instructions, staff scramble to find basic information, and messages to customers, stakeholders, or the public become delayed or inconsistent. In the worst cases, reputations take a hit that could have been prevented with just a little foresight. A few hours of “what if” exercises can save days — or even weeks — of confusion and damage control later.
The Bottom Line
Crisis communication doesn’t have to be complicated. By gaming out scenarios, you’re not trying to predict the unpredictable — you’re making sure your team knows how to act when the pressure is on. Preparation gives you clarity about roles and responsibilities, confidence in your first steps, and control over your organization’s response. And when the stakes are high, that preparation can be the difference between chaos and control.
