Yesterday we had a wonderfully wintery day in Portland. The snow was falling, the temperature was dropping, and cars were spinning out everywhere. It’s amazing how unexpected weather can catch everyone off guard and make them behave erratically.
Driving in the snow isn’t really that hard. 1) Make sure you have some kind of traction device (snow tires, studs, or chains). 2) Make sure your traction device works (chains are useless if they stay in the trunk). 3) Drive slowly!
You don’t need to go about town at 5 MPH, but make sure you have control over the car at whatever speed you’re going. Usually about 20 MPH is good for residential streets, no more than 40 MPH for clear-ish highways.
These rules are fairly simple, but yesterday I saw hordes of people not following them. Only one car would get through the green light at the intersection because it was spinning out the whole time. Chains were put on improperly. One person was even talking up his snow tires at the grocery store … then remembered he’d forgotten to actually put them on!
Sudden changes in the environment can incite panic. We frustrate more easily and forget the simple lessons we’ve already learned over and over again. It’s easy to see this with weather, but what about when the climate turns towards business?
Your brand has (or will) come upon a time of sudden climate changes. Maybe a tough economy challenges your business model. Maybe a high-profile PR case forces an internal scramble for control. Maybe you earn sudden positive notoriety through a magazine or newspaper featurette. In any case, the steps you take to manage the changes are important.
1) Make sure you have some kind of plan for handling the unexpected (a person in charge of figuring out what’s going on, what needs to happen, and who projects need to be delegated to). 2) Make sure this plan is actually being followed (a plan or idea is worthless without execution). 3) Don’t get ahead of yourself!
Other companies and brands have been there before. Look to their successes and failures for example of what to and not to do in times of distress. Navigating foul weather can be easy if you know what you’re doing. Just make sure you follow the rules.
