Crisis
Management: A Few Observations
by H.H.A Cooper
"Avoiding or muting crises is often far better than precipitating
such."
Malcolm
Forbes
These wise words have particular relevance in the context of our recent
handling of matters relating to Iraq. They lose nothing of significance
when applied to matters of less world-shaking importance. Few would
recommend stirring up a hornet's nest or poking a Bengal tiger with
a walking stick - even if it is, for the moment, behind bars. Yet,
curiously, how often do we see people in real life do the equivalent
of such foolhardy acts. There is a strong belief among some that contentious
matters can only be resolved by bringing them speedily to a head -
a kind of crisis management by poultice. There is a certain excitement
to this, especially if the boil can be effectively lanced, the fever
subsides, and the patient survives. But there is always the question,
whether, in the instant case, such heroic measures were necessary.
Sometimes, the remedy is worse than the cure. If a crisis can be anticipated,
is it not better to head it off or take measures, prudently, to reduce
its impact?
What in general terms, is a crisis? Obviously, they come in all shapes
and sizes, and affect every department of human interest and activity.
For the present purposes, a crisis may be defined as some critical
event, anticipated or otherwise, affecting the lives, physical integrity
and other tangible or intangible interests of those concerned with
it. Crises may be produced by natural occurrences or by human agency.
They may impact a single human being or assume global proportions.
In medical terms, a crisis is a turning point; it is the moment at
which things are likely to get better - or worse. What is done, at
that moment, may profoundly affect the outcome. It is not a time for
guesswork - or meddling. Sometimes drastic action is required to avert
a tragedy. At others, it is more prudent to do nothing, and let matters
take their course. Sensible restraint is often the hardest course
to counsel or to take. The impact of a crisis is always susceptible
of being affected in some way by preparations undertaken to meet and
deal with the event. These preparations translated into practical,
operational terms constitute what is called crisis management.
Crisis management, in the security field as elsewhere, presents many
different aspects, dependent upon the nature and dimensions of the
events involved. It always rests upon a philosophical basis, which
has to be transformed into a guiding policy. The tragic encounter
of the Titanic with an iceberg in the North Atlantic produced an immediate
crisis, with which the captain and his crew had to cope. Women and
children first into the lifeboats was, obviously, not an ad hoc decision
based upon nautical expediency. The application of the developed precepts
is effectuated through organization and the authority conferred upon
individuals assigned to deal with what has occurred. These things
have to be thought through, carefully, in advance if the crisis is
to be successfully managed. Otherwise, the crisis itself takes over
and dictates its own outcome. Policies must be designed and communicated,
and personnel trained how to respond in accordance with them. Knowing
what to do, and how and when to do it is the difference between a
controlled, disciplined response and unmanageable free fall. But,
of course, you do need a parachute, for as Robert Anton Wilson observed,
"encounters with death and danger are only adventures to the
survivors." Fundamentally, crisis management is concerned with
minimizing harm and restoring order through the intelligent employment
of the appropriate, available resources. The emphasis, here, is upon
what is appropriate. Pouring oil upon troubled waters may serve to
calm the storm. Pouring water into sulfuric acid is a recipe for disaster.
A sine qua non of effective crisis management is good risk assessment.
At the heart of this latter is accurate intelligence, military, law
enforcement, business, or whatever. Without it, you are boxing, or
grappling, in the dark. Knowing what is over the other side of the
hill, or coming down the pike gives the crisis manager the vital edge.
Even if you cannot know, you must be in a position to speculate intelligently.
The more you know, the higher your level of security -provided you
use your knowledge effectively. Nowadays, public and private entities
must, more and more, assess the risks likely to be faced whether from
criminal elements, political foes, disaffected subjects, or external
enemies. This is no time to emulate the ostrich. Once the threat is
identified and measured, steps can be taken to deal with it. Some
threats can be avoided, warded off or defused through diplomacy, while
others can only be handled, effectively, through the exercise of countervailing
force. Meeting the threat in an appropriate fashion, on the most economical
footing, is an exercise in conflict resolution, but that, as they
say, is a whole 'nother story. Social and political crises are rarely
self-limiting; all call for intervention of some kind. Their successful
management requires a neat blend of skills, temperament, fortitude
and experience, as well as organization, taking appropriate account
of cultural, ethnic, and political factors. The Golden Rule is: if
you can't make things better, avoid that which can only make them
worse.
Crisis management training and consultancy are highly specialized
undertakings. Do not engage the service of a psychiatrist to manage
a crisis when what is required for the matter in hand is an engineer.
Whatever you do in this matter of selection, make sure you choose
wisely and well. The late, great Malcolm Forbes also said, "Never
hire someone who knows less than you do about what he's (or she's)
hired to do." The true specialist is becomingly modest, avoiding
exaggerated claims and promises. Yet, another Robert Anton Wilson
aphorism is worth citing here: "Specialists all tend to see things
in weird ways." While it is not good policy to keep a dog and
bark yourself, it is always sensible to try to find out what the barking
is all about and to learn something of its nuances. Thus, coping with
a natural disaster, such as a tornado, a hurricane, a flood, or an
earthquake, is very different from handling, say, a catastrophic financial
crisis; serious civil disturbances; or terroristic events such as
assassinations, kidnappings, hostage-taking or threats of mass destruction.
Special expertise is called for in all these diverse instances, and
it is a foolish manager indeed who fails to obtain it when it is needed
or who hesitates to do so for fear of looking bad. Even the best and
most experienced of ship's captains needs the services of a pilot
when entering unfamiliar waters. Those who reject what is required
take upon themselves a most onerous responsibility that few are equipped,
with even the greatest luck in the world, to discharge. Taking into
account expert advice does not absolve the crisis manager of the responsibility
to act; the decision-making power rests with those to whom it has
been assigned. Knowing what advice to take and when to take it, marks
out the prudent crisis manager from the foolhardy.
Crisis management in the field of security covers the gamut from the
commonplace to the once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. While all crisis
management contains certain core elements common throughout, the differences
command attention so as to require radically separate treatment for
both organizational and training purposes. The area of specific interest
has to be defined before a program to meet the needs of those concerned
can be designed. A hierarchy of responsibilities has to be established,
and training must be precisely directed to the needs of those exercising
those responsibilities at each level. But will it work? Who can tell
until it is tested in the crucible of reality. Thus all crisis management
training is always a work in progress, preparation for some future
eventuality. Crisis management is concerned with something - something
bad -that has yet to occur. Paul Dickson, perhaps, put it best: "While
we are pretty much stuck with the present there is every reason to
believe we can and should have an effect on the future, rather than
have it entirely managed for us by others." Crisis management,
wrong-headed or not is deeply ingrained in the human spirit. Whether
we are struggling against the forces of nature or the wicked wiles
of Man (or Woman) we are persuaded that, if only we work at it, we
can bend the outcome in our favor. Perhaps we can. After all, crisis
management is just a sense of leadership and a cool head, right? Right!
H.H.A. Cooper is president of Nuevevidas International, Inc. He manages
crises for people around the globe, and still finds time to handle
a few of his own. He also serves as Vice-President for Certification
for A.S.E.T.
Copyright © 2003, Executive Protection Institute
