Tips for handling a crisis successfully.

• Position: Final Checklist - Brief article

A lot of times, when a disaster or crisis strikes, we aren't as ready as we think we are--or even at all. Take a proactive approach and consider the following ideas when thinking about dealing with emergency situations at your firm.

[ ] Develop a comprehensive crisis plan. This should include plans of action for a variety of scenarios that could affect your firm, such as extreme weather, layoffs, unexpected changes in leadership, etc. Make sure you know your priorities when creating this plan.

[ ] Communicate effectively--and immediately. Whether you are communicating with your staff, colleagues or the media, you'll want to make sure you're giving all the facts in a timely manner. If a situation warrants your statement, gather and present as many facts as you can to prevent people from looking elsewhere for information, which could be inaccurate. And never say, "No comment."

[ ] In the event of a natural disaster or otherwise, take what you think you will need for work for the next one to two weeks. Use flash drives to back up critical documents, such as insurance policies, bank account...