Leading People Through Disasters

Praise for Leading People Through Disasters “After many years in the people-side of business, and after having witnessed firsthand the devastation of 9/11, it was clear that the people-side of business was in dire need of an instructional guide for use in times of chaos. This ‘how to’ action guide is a must-read for all of us who want to be better prepared for the next disaster that may come our way . . . even if it is tomorrow.” — Ann Rhoades, President of PeopleInk, current Director and former Executive Vice President of Jet Blue Airways, and former Vice President People, Southwest Airlines “Trauma is debilitating. The inevitable, recurring waves of flashbacks and survivor guilt render us less adaptive, resilient, sensitive, and creative— just when we need these capabilities the most. Whether from natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or product recalls, crises haunt us all. McKee and Guthridge have written a marvelous book that takes the old Boy Scout motto, ‘Be Prepared,’ to new heights. It will help you get ready for and make the best of any crisis. If it has not happened to you, or not recently, get ready—it will, and this book will help.” — Richard E. Boyatzis, Professor of Organizational Behavior, Psychology and Human Resources at Case Western Reserve University and ESADE, co-author of the international bestseller Primal Leadership and Resonant Leadership “This book is a great resource. It’s the only book I’ve seen that makes such a compelling case to include the people issues, such as employee communication, in your business continuity planning. Plus, it contains some great, practical ideas that all companies can easily implement.” — Kimberly R. Walsh, Vice President, Communications, Pacific Gas and Electric Company “In Leading People Through Disasters, Kathryn McKee and Liz Guthridge have performed a valuable service to the business and HR community. These experienced and insightful professionals have provided a manual that is rich with concepts, tools, and checklists of how to prepare for and respond to the full range of disasters. By following their guidelines, business and HR professionals can step to the fore to address the difficulties and trauma for customers and employees alike. This book should be read and placed on an accessible portion of the book shelf of every business person and HR professional.” —Wayne Brockbank, Clinical Professor of Business, Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan “Should disaster strike, is your business prepared to deal with the human side of crises? An excellent place to start is with Leading People Through Disasters. Preparing to meet disaster can make all the difference, and here’s a practical guide that shows you how.” — Richard W. Beatty, Professor of Human Resource Management, Rutgers University, and Core Faculty Member, University of Michigan, Ross School of Business Executive Education Center “In normal times, to be successful, organizations require the best human leadership we can provide. In troubled times, as the book Leading People Through Disasters explains quite convincingly, there’s no margin of error. All leaders—including communication professionals—must make sure they are not insulated or isolated from the situation. They must visibly take charge, get their employees to safety, and communicate clearly, concisely, and frequently. Leadership and communication are often synonymous in normal times, and even more so during disasters. This book makes a great business case for being an involved, caring leader who regularly interprets the implications of what is happening. This is the best way to gain the trust and credibility of employees as well as recover jobs and the company.” — Roger D’Aprix, communication consultant and author of Communicating for Change, Communicating for Productivity, and The Face-to-Face Communication Toolkit “Leading People Through Disasters is a terrific ‘how-to’ guide for anyone in an organization, especially HR and communications professionals. This book makes the point that you’ve got to prepare for disasters, even when you don’t think you have the bandwidth, and explains why this is well worth your time. The act of preparation will make your organization stronger, more nimble, and more confident to take on all sorts of challenges and opportunities coming your way.” — Steve Umphreys, Senior Vice President of Global Employee Services, salesforce.com Also visit www.leadingpeoplethroughdisasters.com Leading People Through Disasters This page intentionally left blank Leading People Through Disasters An Action Guide: Preparing for and Dealing with the Human Side of Crises Kathryn McKee, SPHR, and Liz Guthridge Leading People through Disasters Copyright © 2006 by Kathyrn McKee and Liz Guthridge All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. 235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650 San Francisco, California 94104-2916 Tel: (415) 288-0260, Fax: (415) 362-2512 www.bkconnection.com Ordering information for print editions Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the “Special Sales Department” at the Berrett-Koehler address above. Individual sales. Berrett-Koehler publications are available through most bookstores. They can also be ordered directly from Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626; www.bkconnection.com Orders for college textbook/course adoption use. Please contact BerrettKoehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626. Orders by U.S. trade bookstores and wholesalers. Please contact Ingram Publisher Services, Tel: (800) 509-4887; Fax: (800) 838-1149; E-mail: customer.service@ingrampublisherservices.com; or visit www.ingram publisherservices.com/Ordering for details about electronic ordering. Berrett-Koehler and the BK logo are registered trademarks of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. First Edition Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-57675-420-7 PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-60509-253-9 2009-1 Cover design: Leslie Waltzer, Crowfoot Design Interior design and production: Publication Services To my sons