Crisis and Risk Communication Strategies



Crisis and Risk Communication Strategies

Introduction

SARS, also known as 'Severe acute respiratory syndrome', was a disease that spread in 2003 in Asia, specifically in China, Hong Kong and Singapore and then spread to other parts of the world including Canada, United States and Australia. Emergency managing circumstances, disaster revival, contingencies, and crises, clearly, can be very demanding. At leading during these circumstances, often disappointments result from those who do not administer stress productively. The crisis of SARS demanded effective leaders and communicators. For effective leadership, a prerequisite is the mental and emotional stability.

Discussion

The public health communication was tested during the SARS crisis. In a crisis, communicating is dissimilar as compared to usual. The abidance is different on the information, the processing is different and how people take information is different, in a severe crisis (Reynolds, 2002).

The following five communication strategies were observed in the video:

To discuss the issue, the intended audience's language was captured.

How the activities, channels and settings are used by the intended audience was learned.

How a particular action performed gives out expected results and how compelling the members of the intended audience were found from benefit exploration.

The actions' barriers were identified.

From the viewpoint of the intended audience, of the various potential actions, the feasibility was explored.

SARS related experiences of the past, motivators and feelings were learned.

Leaders had an integral role to play in helping the community to recover from SARS. Leaders were given total control of the condition in affecting the emotions and responses of the people to the crisis. The thing a leader tells the people, the acts he does have a profound effect on the recovery speed and sustainability of the change in the future. Extremely committed employees are part of the crisis management team and emergency team leaders. Teamwork abilities and ...