The recent Ebola epidemic barely frightened Brazil, but then we experienced one of the country's biggest health crises: the Zika virus epidemic. Over the last few months, the media has reported more and more cases of the disease, with the aggravating factor of microcephaly in hundreds of newborn children. Meanwhile, we have also witnessed the inability of the country's managers to act quickly to contain a situation that is spreading without any foreseeable containment.
We know that crises happen, but lack of preparation is the main factor that causes them to become much bigger and have a negative impact on the credibility and trust of organizations for years. See what you, as a manager, can learn from this episode:
Listening to pedestrian radio is essential
The Zika virus crisis was not a warning from the country's top brass. While the government was preoccupied with impeachment and rebutting accusations of corruption and embezzlement, health professionals in several states, especially in the Northeast, were clamoring for attention because of something never seen before: the increase in cases of microcephaly.
The press was already reporting the same alarming situation in several states when the federal government decided to pay attention to what was being said, but it still told everyone to rest assured that the situation was not as serious as it seemed. Actions to combat Aedes Aegypti, which transmits the disease, were only taken a long time later.
As managers, we can see that when there is too much buzz in the company, when people are in an uproar trying to get the attention of managers and directors, we need to listen carefully and attentively, because a crisis could be on the way.
Identifying risks in advance can be crucial
It was never thought that the Aedes Aegypti mosquito could transmit a disease other than dengue. And we're all used to dengue. That was the most innocent thought we could have in the health sector.
When the company thinks it knows all the risks inherent in the business, it is opening itself up to being caught unawares, as in the case of the contaminated juice or the handling of Tylenol in the 1980s, a clear case of industrial sabotage.
Surrounding yourself with all possible methods to avoid any kind of attack on your company's image is crucial to its survival, so identify all the risks inherent in your business, no matter how impossible they may seem.
Have a crisis management plan
Once you have mapped out the risks, the best thing to do is to create a crisis management plan, i.e. a checklist of actions to be taken. The lack of this preparation was clear in the case of the Zika virus epidemic, as states were fighting the disease each in their own way, some not even considering the situation to be serious.
When a crisis strikes, the company must act as one, with senior management guiding and unifying efforts so that everyone is working to combat the threat. And this needs to be done quickly so that the effects of the crisis are as small as possible.
If the federal government had acted quickly, many states might not even have known what the Zika virus was. Many children would not have been affected and the state of alarm could have been much lower, as well as compromising the government's credibility with the population.
Knowledge is there precisely so that we don't make the same mistakes as in the past, but many managers haven't learned that yet. If you haven't yet been through a crisis like the one Brazil is experiencing today, here's a tip on what to do and what not to do at such times. It's best to be prepared and act proactively, not wait for the situation to worsen before you take action.
