Managing Office Gossip

Crisis Management

• When rumors and gossip spread in the office, Raymond should speak with his employees and tell them the facts about the situation to contain the situation.

Handling Crises

• Fatima should organize a press conference to ensure all facts of the situation are known when dealing with a major product defect.
• When analyzing the potential damage a crisis can cause, the bottom line is not the most important factor to consider.

Crisis Statistics

• Less than 10% of companies that experience a major data loss survive the crisis.
• A public safety disaster contains the greatest potential for business opportunity.

Handling Internal Crises

• When informed of potential embezzlement by a highly paid staff member, examine the books closely with the accountant and call in an independent auditor if necessary.
• A friendly culture based on trust is likely to be most responsive to and effective in handling a crisis.

Crisis Communication

• When preparing for a press conference, prepare honest answers to the five questions you would least like to be asked.
• When dealing with a crisis, honesty is key in communication.

Project Management

• When faced with mixed results from user testing, step back from the product, analyze the information, and determine what the problem really is.

Post-Crisis Analysis

• After a crisis, get input from everyone involved to create a plan for the future and prevent similar crises from happening again.