As the famous movie “Groundhog Day” teaches us, sometimes we can feel stuck in a never-ending cycle of the same challenges and problems.
In the film, the main character, Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray), is trapped in a time loop where he relives the same day repeatedly. Similarly, in the world of legal and crisis management, it can feel like we are constantly facing the same types of cases, just in different forms. Unlike the movie, the characters in our cases don’t say and do the EXACT same thing every time — but the behavior patterns can be quite similar at times.
But just as Phil eventually learns to use his repetition to his advantage and become a better person, legal professionals and crisis management professionals can also use the repetition of similar cases to improve their skills and knowledge.
Crisis management is an integral part of a legal strategy, and lawyers must be equipped to handle the challenges that come with it. Whether it’s a highly contentious piece of litigation, a business dispute, or a reputational crisis, every lawyer must be prepared to handle these challenges head-on. This is where crisis management companies come in, providing valuable services that allow lawyers to manage crises effectively and efficiently.
Here are five ways your corporate clients can prepare and train for a crisis:
1. Conducting a risk assessment: A risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying potential risks to an organization and determining the likelihood and impact of those risks. Organizations can develop more effective response and recovery plans by identifying potential vulnerabilities and assessing the probability and effect of different crises.
2. Developing a crisis management plan BEFORE you need it: A crisis management plan outlines the steps a business should take in the event of a crisis, including steps for identifying and assessing potential risks and procedures for responding to and recovering from a crisis (all with a legal perspective). Business leaders should involve key stakeholders and employees in the plan’s development and regularly review and update it to ensure it remains relevant and practical.
3. Training and education for employees: Business leaders should provide regular training and education on how to respond to and recover from a crisis. This can include educating them on the organization’s crisis management plan, providing guidance on how to communicate with customers and the media, and training them on how to use emergency equipment and technology. By providing regular training and education, leadership can ensure that their employees are prepared and ready to respond to a crisis.
4. Running regular drills and simulations: Business leaders can conduct regular drills and simulations to test their crisis management plan and employees’ readiness to respond to a crisis. This can include investigations, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, financial problems, etc. These drills allow the business to identify and address any current plan(s) weaknesses and training and ensure employees know what to do during a crisis.
5. Review and analyze past cases: Just as Phil’s experiences on Groundhog Day allowed him to learn and improve, reflecting on past cases and using that knowledge to improve your approach in the future will make you a better advocate for your clients.
Doing these five things allows you to quickly and effectively respond to a crisis rather than scrambling to figure out how to approach it. Having a crisis management partner that understands your legal perspective in planning for and responding to a crisis is crucial for lawyers and your clients. The best results are achieved when we’re all focused on achieving the same goal.
Just as Phil’s repetition on Groundhog Day ultimately led to personal growth and self-improvement, our experience leveraging similar challenges to our client’s advantage (and coming out stronger on the other side) is why Am Law 200 firms regularly partner with Gillott Communications to protect their client’s reputation.
Gillott Communications
is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn where we share amazing tips & best practices on how to prepare for crises, craft your message, and protect your hard-built reputation.