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With all that’s happening around us, from pandemics to hurricanes, fires to economic uncertainty, and everything else that is an unwelcome part of today’s reality, it’s imperative for executive teams to prepare for the worst—whether they want to or not. Getting caught flat-footed, without a crisis plan and an executive crisis team (ECT) in place, will only lead to darker days and more troubled times for owners and managers responsible for the well-being of their associates and apartment communities.

There’s no easy way to plan or prepare for crisis situations, and it’s nearly impossible to predict what might become a seminal moment. But ignoring the possibility of a crisis and hoping for the best is not the answer. It’s critical to begin taking steps now to put a team—and a plan—into place so that you’re prepared for the worst.

Identify Your Executive Crisis Team

Determine who should be part of the team, from key executives in your organization to support departments. Know which individuals and groups are responsible for each part of the plan, including PR and marketing (for internal and external communication, including press updates and communication with residents), human resources (for employee relations and communication), executive leadership (for setting a tone and direction), and on-site managers and staff (for relaying important messages to residents). Your team should be ultimately trusted and respected, both by their peers within your organization and their colleagues throughout the industry.

Create a Hierarchy

Once your team has been established, decide as a team what the hierarchy should be in regard to sharing information (to ensure every member is sharing the same information, with the same understanding of the situation), identifying a single spokesperson for dealing with the press (to avoid the possibility of mixed messages and creating confusion), having a gatekeeper for the flow of information (to assure that messaging has been reviewed and approved by the ECT), and a singular, strong voice of leadership and direction.

Identify Possible Crisis Situations

By knowing your surroundings and staying up to date and even ahead of current events will provide your ECT with the opportunity to identify potential crisis situations. Whether a property is located in an area that is at risk from extreme weather or climate conditions (such as a hurricane or a fire), or in a highly populated metropolis (where COVID-19 is more prevalent, due to higher numbers of people), it’s important to be aware of the situations that could become a crisis. Monitoring news reports, always using local, state, and federal resources to understand the information they have and are sharing, and staying informed as a citizen will help your team to prepare for the worst. Your ECT will also be able to use the information to fit it to the specific needs of your organization.

Anticipate Challenges

Take the step of identifying possible crisis situations to another level by also anticipating the challenges that will lay ahead. For example, are you prepared with first aid, backup power, multiple points of ingress and egress (for emergency workers to get to a crisis situation, and for residents and employees to vacate), and open lines of communication with employees and residents (such as text updates, virtual town hall meetings to answer questions, emails, and social media). Constantly play “devil’s advocate” and run through potential scenarios so you can put your ECT to the test. It’s always better to be overly prepared than not prepared at all.

Stay Away from “The Politics”

We obviously live in a politically charged climate, with emotions running high. Unfortunately, a great deal of political maneuvering takes place in times of crisis. There’s no need to get caught up in the politics that might befall a situation. The ECT needs to stay focused on the tasks at hand and on the facts, not the statements and beliefs of individuals outside the organization.

Over-Communicate

It will be imperative to maintain an open and regular line of communication with all the parties involved, including clients, partners, associates, vendors, and residents. There is no such thing as over-communicating during a crisis event. As stated above, it’s critical to make sure you have different lines of communication in place and equally important to continually vet the messages and information that’s being shared to make sure that it’s accurate and timely.

Dealing with a crisis situation is something that nobody ever wants to have to do. But ignoring the possibility of a crisis, especially during these challenging times, is not the way to go about things. As an owner or manager, it’s your responsibility to take it upon yourself to begin preparing for the worst.