As the former CEO of two trade associations crisis management expert and author EdwardSegal knows that it is not a matter of if an organization will have a crisis, but when. That’s whytoday he recommends companies and organizations follow these three important crisismanagement New Year’s resolutions in 2020:

• 1. Prepare a crisis management plan if you do not already have one.
• 2. Update your crisis management plan if you do have one in place.
• 3. Conduct crisis exercises and drills throughout the year to help ensure your plan will work when it is needed. Then, after each exercise, update or revise your plan as necessary.

Segal said that a lot can be at stake for a company that is confronted by a crisis, ranging from itsimage and reputation to the bottom line and future of the organization. ”Don’t wait until youare having a disaster, scandal, or other emergencies to figure out how to deal with it. The sooneryou have a plan in place for preparing, managing, and recovering from a crisis, the better,” henoted.

Segal is the author of the forthcoming book on crisis management: Crisis Ready:101 Ways toPrepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies (NicholasBrealey/Hachette). The book includes a generic crisis management plan that can be customizedfor a variety of crisis scenarios.

Segal provides crisis management advice and services to companies and organizationsin a variety of industries and professions. He is the former CEO of the Greater Los AngelesREALTORS® Association and the Marin Association of REALTORS® in Northern California. Segalearned the Certified Association Executive credential from the American Society of AssociationExecutives and the REALTOR® Certified Association Executive credential from the NationalAssociation of REALTORS®.