Cellules de crise [Crisis Management Teams]

As evoked in the title, this book focuses on the operation of the main structure used by the company to respond to crisis situations, i.e. the “crisis unit.” Based on in-depth study of fictitious examples that summarize the author’s long experience as a specialized consultant (chapters 1 and 2), this book highlights the traditional and often grave problems encountered in these structures, and provides numerous tips on how to resolve these issues.
A few strong messages emerge from this analysis, such as not to wait to verify every fact completely before taking action and communicating, to be careful not to form an overly rosy view of the situation, to be proactive in training the organization to manage crises, etc. The author also suggests (part 3, chapter 2) a standard organization structured around, not one, but three units responsible for different functions – operational management, administration and communication. Indeed, this model is a good starting point for thinking about crisis management architecture, as it can be adapted to the specific features of each company.