Delayed responses, outdated playbooks, others among leading causes of crisis mismanagement– Prof Hinson

The 2025 edition of the Citi Business Festival, hosted by Citi FM and Channel One TV, culminated in a high-impact Management Bootcamp from Sunday, June 22 to Saturday, June 28 at Abokobi.

The event assembled leading facilitators and business thought leaders to deliver practical insights across critical management areas.

One of the standout sessions was delivered by Professor Robert E. Hinson, who spoke on the theme: “Crisis Management and Corporate Communications.” In a compelling and practical presentation, he outlined how strategic communication can be used to anticipate, manage, and recover from organizational crises.

Professor Hinson emphasized that the contemporary business environment is fraught with a growing spectrum of crises—from operational and financial, to cyber, reputational, regulatory, and natural disasters. He defined a crisis as “an event with potential for significant negative impact, threatening an organization’s operations and reputation, and requiring immediate and coordinated response.”

He noted that effective crisis management is not merely reactionary, but involves three core pillars: preparation before, coordination during, and learning after the crisis. He warned that some of the most common—and damaging—crisis management mistakes include:

• Delayed response: Research from Harvard shows that late responses result in up to 40% worse outcomes.
• Outdated crisis playbooks: American studies indicate that 65% of organizations lack current, actionable crisis protocols.
• Poor team coordination: Siloed departments, unclear responsibilities, and inconsistent messaging create confusion and paralyze crisis response efforts.

Professor Hinson laid out best practices for crisis communication, which include:

• Assigning specific roles and escalation paths before a crisis strikes.
• Conducting annual risk assessments and scenario planning.
• Establishing strong internal and external communication channels.
• Running simulations and drills to ensure readiness.

He presented a Crisis Management Team Structure, which should ideally include:

• CEO: Final decision-maker and potential public spokesperson.
• Legal Counsel: Oversees legal risk and compliance.
• IT/Security Lead: Manages technical and cyber threats.
• Operations Head: Ensures business continuity and operational response.
• Marketing/PR Team: Coordinates media relations and messaging.
• Customer Experience Lead: Manages internal and external stakeholder experiences.

On media engagement, Professor Hinson advised that organizations issue an initial press release within 60 minutes of the crisis (as recommended by PRSA), designate a single trained spokesperson, stick to verified facts, avoid speculation, and structure press conferences to be transparent and consistent. He also urged organizations to be accessible but well-prepared, correct misinformation swiftly, and provide updates—even when there’s little new to report.

Professor Hinson further advocated for the inclusion of employee advocacy in crisis communication strategy. By training employees as Crisis Ambassadors, companies can enable staff to serve as credible, first-line communicators to both customers and the broader public—especially through their personal social media platforms. This requires:

• Providing clear social media guidelines.
• Equipping staff with approved messaging and talking points.
• Regular internal updates to reduce misinformation and rumor.

He stressed that in today’s digitally driven environment, crisis response speed is non-negotiable. “Digital footprints mean local crises can escalate to global headlines in minutes,” he cautioned. Organizations must therefore leverage digital tools—including AI—for real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and automation of response mechanisms.

In closing, Professor Hinson offered several foundational principles for building crisis communication resilience:

• Every organization will face a crisis—readiness is not optional.
• Rapid, transparent, and consistent communication builds trust.
• Stakeholder confidence is the most valuable currency during crisis.
• Organizations with crisis plans recover 73% faster than those without.

He urged institutions to develop robust crisis architecture, invest in training, audit communication systems regularly, and adopt a culture of continuous learning from past crises.

Summing up his presentation with a powerful reminder, Professor Hinson stated:“Crisis doesn’t build character—it reveals it. Prepare today, so your organization reveals its best when it faces its worst.”

The post Delayed responses, outdated playbooks, others among leading causes of crisis mismanagement– Prof Hinson appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

Read Full Story