Crisis Management: Key for Effective Leadership in Unpredictable Times

Unpredicted crisis are common phenomena that negatively impact the operations of business organizations from time to time. In this context, crisis describes any unforeseen occurrence that might temporarily or permanently have a negative impact on the regular operations of a business organization. Today, one of the key aspects of effective leadership is crisis management in which organizational leaders develop a crisis management plan focused on preventing the occurrence of various anticipated or unexpected problems in their institutions. Having a crisis communication plan is imperative for an organization because it facilitates the recovery of an institution after the occurrence of an unplanned negative phenomenon. Subsequently, this hinders the entire shutdown of such an organization or the occurrence of excessive losses that might fully compromise the optimal performance of the institution.

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The following communication plan will provide an outline of a crisis that might impact the Pasta Amore Restaurant, and also define the roles of audience/stakeholders of the Restaurant in the event the crisis occurs. Additionally, the communication plan will also provide effective messages that can be employed to communicate the preparation measures employed to communicate the crisis and provide an explanation of the importance of a crisis command center in a workplace environment. Lastly, the crisis management plan will outline the potential risks that could occur in an organization and effective management strategies that could be utilized by organization leaders to manage such unexpected occurrences. Collectively, each of these discussed elements will be imperative in providing an explanation of why a crisis communication plan will be essential for the Pasta Amore Restaurant.

Crisis Communication Plan

Audiences and Stakeholders

Audience/Stakeholders' Impacted by the Risk Potential Questions That Might Asked By the Audiences/Stakeholders in Relation To the Risks That Might Occur in Pasta Amore

1. Customers What have you done to ensure that there is no chance of food poisoning occurring to customers visiting your establishment?

Is there a risk of salmonella outbreak occurring at Pasta Amore?

Would you say that proper food hygiene and quality products are employed in the making of Pasta Amore food products?

What emergency customer assistance measures have been put in place by Pasta Amore in the event a food contamination crisis occurs in the establishment?

What are some of the hazards outlined by Santa Amore that could instigate the occurrence of a food contamination crisis at Santa Amore?

2. Employees What are the measures put in place by Santa Amore to ensure that the employees' jobs are safeguarded in the event a food contamination crisis occurs, leading to the temporary shutdown of an organization?

What safety precautions have been put in place by Santa Amore to ensure that all employees are not potential hazards to a food contamination crisis in the organization?

Which disciplinary actions have been put in place by the Santa Amore human resource (HR) department to reprimand workers responsible for a food contamination crisis while functioning for the organization?

Which risk assessment measures that have been put in place by Santa Amore to alert workers on any potential occurrence of a food contamination crisis in the restaurant?

Will Santa Amore create a crisis management training program for its workers to empower them with the skills of controlling a food poisoning crisis in the event it occurs?

3. Community Members Which corporate social responsibilities (CSRs) might be impacted by the community in the event Santa Amore is shut down due to an unexpected food contamination outbreak in the organization?

Which are some of the environmental factors in Amore community that could potentially be causative factors of a food contamination outbreak in Santa Amore?

What can the community members do to ensure that Santa Amore retains its exemplary culture of promoting quality and hygiene for all its food products offered to the community members and other customers of the organization?

What community health organizations are working with Santa Amore to promote the overall hygiene of the food products offered by Santa Amore to the clients?

Which assurances can Santa Amore make to the community members where its operations that it will retain the integrity of its operations in reference to maximizing hygiene for all its food products?

Messages

Description of the Type of Message Response Text To Be Included In The Message

1. Customers Response to emails sent by customers Santa Amore has enhanced its efforts to promote quality and hygiene when handling all meals in order to avert any risk of food contamination.

2. Employees Response to the letter sent by workers Santa Amore has developed an effective risk communication plan that will provide all workers with essential information on how to manage the risk of food contamination in the event it occurs.

3. Community Members Response to social media inquiries made by community members Santa Amore has developed a comprehensive risk management plan to ensure that the hygiene of all meals served in the restaurant is safe and free from contamination.

Command Center

The effective coordination of different activities by workers in an organization plays a crucial role in the containment of a crisis in the event it occurs (Boin & Bynander, 2015; Abbasi et al., 2018). Additionally, in crisis management, establishing a chain of command will be imperative in facilitating the successful containment of a crisis outbreak in Santa Amore. Additionally, that is because a chain of command ensures that there is a proper delegation of duties/responsibilities among all workers in an organization. Such a delegation of functions ensures that all activities that are essential in managing a crisis outbreak are undertaken simultaneously or in a coordinated manner by all employees. Also, a chain of command ensures that different personnel in an organization do not conflict with each other on roles that should be undertaken during a crisis management activity.

In a crisis situation, any occurrence of a conflict may fully further worsen the state of operations of all employees in controlling the negative impacts of the unexpected calamity (Wobodo, Orianzi & Oko-Jaja, 2020; Joy & Amaewhule, 2015). Additionally, an example of an effective chain of command in Santa Amore would be the appointment of the communications director to be the chief command during the occurrence of a crisis. In this case, the communications director would be tasked with the function of dictating commands or tasks that should be executed by different workers in Santa Amore in the event a crisis occurs. Also, the business owner who is chiefly on management functions will not be involved directly in the crisis management plan since he is not responsible for coordinating the direct day-to-day operations of Santa Amore.

In crisis management planning, it would also be essential to define an alternative command center that can be employed in coordinating workers' operations and efforts to control the unforeseen occurrences (Joy & Amaewhule, 2015. In this context, in the event the Health Department shuts down the Santa Amore due to a food contamination outbreak, all workers will be required to meet at the Amore Community Conference Center boarding room every day between 11.00 o'clock to 3.00 o'clock. The stated conference center is situated two miles away from the Santa Amore Restaurant. Also, during the stated time, the Santa Amore stakeholders will deliberate on the best strategies that they can employ to control the reported crisis. Additionally, this will be imperative in ensuring that Santa Amore resumes its regular operations in a timely manner.

Risks

There are several inherent risks that Santa Amore might face while executing its business operations. The first risk is the occurrence of food poisoning like salmonella due to contamination, In this case, although Santa Amore's employees might practice ideal hygiene measures when handling food at the restaurant, the source of the raw materials used to make the Restaurant's meals might be contaminated. Secondly, the Santa Amore Restaurant faces the risk of loss of business in the event a food contamination crisis occurs. In the recent past, an instance of food poisoning at Ella's Salmon Restaurant, which is a competitor to Santa Amore, has been reported. As such, any new report of food poisoning in Santa Amore might result in a major loss of business for the restaurant in its operating market.

There are two possible negative outcomes that might occur if Santa Amore Restaurant does not respond promptly to any risks that might be reported in the organization. First, Santa Amore might lose a significant number of potential customers as well as a market reputation for serving contaminated food products to its customers. Consequently, such an occurrence would negatively impact the profitability and revenue generation of the restaurant in retailing its food products in its current market. Secondly, failure to address the reported risks on time might results in a complete shutdown of the Santa Amore restaurant by the local Health Department. Additionally, that is because food contamination is considered a primary health issue by government health agencies. Also, the closure of Santa Amore would result in the loss of capital or investment to the business owner.

Conclusion

The featured crisis communication plan can be applied in multiple scenarios or in other organizations operating in industries outside the hospitality sector. For instance, the communication plan can be utilized by stakeholders of an automotive company to prepare for unforeseen occurrences that might affect the optimal sales of vehicles in international markets. Additionally, having a communication plan can help in mitigating unforeseen circumstances or future risks by educating organizational workers on how to avert or control such negative occurrences. Subsequently, this would ensure that the repercussions of such risks do not cripple all the operations of an organization. Moreover, legal and ethical considerations should be made when making a future crisis communication plan in the Santa Amore Restaurant. In this case, a lawyer should be consulted by the restaurant for advice on legal ramifications that the organization may face from serving contaminated food. Also, the ethical standard of integrity among the workers, in offering safe products and services, at Santa Amore Restaurant should be considered when developing the future risk communication plan. Additionally, that is because the communication plan should encourage the workers to promote integrity while undertaking their roles at the Santa Amore Restaurant. Ultimately, transparency would be essential in developing the future crisis communication plan and there should be no time when information is withheld, in regards to a food contamination risk in Santa Amore Restaurant.

References

Abbasi, A., Sadeghi-Niaraki, A., Jalili, M., & Choi, S. (2018). Enhancing response coordination through the assessment of response network structural dynamics. PLOS ONE, 13(2), e0191130. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191130

Boin, A., & Bynander, F. (2015). Explaining success and failure in crisis coordination. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 97(1), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1111/geoa.12072

Joy, A., & Amaewhule, W. A. (2015). Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution Strategies in Business Organizations in Rivers State....