6 Keys to Selecting an Effective Crisis Team

In fact, 95% of business leaders admit their crisis management capabilities could be stronger.

Unprepared organizations often face slow or poor decision-making, which can significantly hinder recovery and damage their reputation. For example, data breaches cost an average of $4.88 million when businesses aren’t adequately prepared.

To help build a more resilient organization, here’s how you can create an effective crisis management team.

What Is a Crisis Management Team?

A crisis management team (CMT) is a group tasked with preparing for and responding to emergencies. This team coordinates the company's actions during critical incidents, ensuring a prompt and flexible response.

Crisis management isn’t just about handling disasters—it’s about preparing for unexpected events that could cause serious harm. A successful CMT must be able to act quickly and make smart decisions under pressure.

Research shows that half of the workforce lacks full engagement in their work. For a Crisis Management Team (CMT) to be truly effective, it must prioritize collaboration and remain dedicated to creating company-wide solutions.

Why Some Organizations Don't Protect Core Assets

An effective crisis management plan integrates organizational strategies for risk management, emergency response, disaster recovery, and business continuity. However, many organizations fall short in safeguarding their assets for various reasons, including:

• Assuming, “It won’t happen here”
• Underestimating the risks
• Relying on ineffective crisis response plans
• Ignoring warning signs
• Failing to prioritize preparedness

How to Build the Right Crisis Management Team

Creating a well-rounded and effective CMT requires thoughtful planning. Here are the key steps:

1. Understand the Nature of Crises

Before assembling a team, it’s crucial to understand the types of crises that could affect your organization. Crises impact more than just leadership—everyone in your company, including vendors, needs to be aware of the potential risks.

Take the time to educate your staff and decision-makers, helping them understand how emergencies could disrupt operations and affect stakeholders.

2. Assemble Team Members from Key Departments

A successful CMT brings together members from all essential departments. Typical roles might include:

• Team Leader: A senior executive who can make decisions on behalf of the company.
• Security Director: Oversees crisis planning, employee training, and communication.
• Financial Director: Manages resources and evaluates the financial impact of crises.
• Legal Counsel: Advises on legal implications of crisis management actions.
• Media Spokesperson: Communicates crucial information to the public and media.
• HR Leader: Handles employee-related concerns during crises.
• Security Specialist: An external expert to guide the team through specific challenges.

3. Prioritize Key Traits in Team Members

Crisis management requires people who have a unique skill set and temperament. Often, the best candidates for your CMT are those who have demonstrated leadership and composure during previous business continuity exercises. Seek feedback from department heads to help identify individuals who are well-suited for the role.

Being a senior member of an organization isn't enough. A high-ranking person must have these qualities; otherwise, they’re not a good fit for the CMT, even if they want to be on it.

4. Choose the Right People for the Job

Often, the best candidates for your CMT are those who have demonstrated leadership and composure during previous business continuity exercises. Seek feedback from department heads to help identify individuals who are well-suited for the role.

5. Appoint a Crisis Management Leader

Leadership is key during a crisis. Choose a team leader who knows the business well and can work effectively with employees at all levels. This individual should be fully authorized to lead team meetings and drive collaboration across departments.

Selecting the right leader for your Crisis Management Team can be challenging. In fact, a recent report reveals that 24% of respondents identified leadership effectiveness and decision-making as major obstacles in crisis management.

It’s essential to find someone who can effectively engage with individuals at all levels of the organization. This leader should be able to manage team meetings and drive collaboration across departments, ensuring a unified and consistent approach to crisis response.

6. Finalize Your Crisis Management Team

Once the team is assembled, make sure it’s approved by senior leadership. In some cases, high-ranking individuals may be chosen for political reasons, even if they’re not the best fit. If this happens, consider adding a skilled lower-ranking team member to fill any gaps in knowledge or experience.. 

Building a Crisis-Ready Organization

A well-prepared crisis management team is your company’s best defense against emergencies. The sooner you understand the potential impact of crises, the sooner you can assemble a team ready to protect your business. By bringing together experts from every department, your organization will be equipped to handle any challenge that comes its way.

Zac Amos is the Features Editor and a writer at ReHack, where he loves digging into business tech, cybersecurity, and anything else technology-related. You can find more of his work on Twitter or LinkedIn.