
A crisis is an event or series of events that prevent the normal functioning of an organization. These events may be either isolated incidents or patterns of dysfunctional behavior, which have spiraled out of control. Examples of possible crisis situations are shown opposite.
Many crisis management firms follow a simple model, where they control the information flow around the organization in crisis. They basically assume a public relations response in order to maintain organizational credibility with the larger community.
The problem with this response is that there is no time spent actually identifying the causes of the crisis, rectifying the issues, and creating plans to cope with future crises. As a result, dysfunction can be embedded in the organization. VI pushes leaders to engage the crisis productively and effectively, encouraging short and long-term response plans.