The first hours of a crisis are always decisive. It is at this precise moment that the control of the situation, the credibility of the organization and the protection of the teams are at stake. However, many crisis units fail from the start, not because of a lack of skills, but because of structural disorganization.
1. Lack of clear activation
In many organisations, no one knows exactly who triggers the crisis unit and how. The result: hesitations, successive validations, waste of time. During this time, the situation often evolves faster than the decisions.
An effective crisis unit must be able to be activated immediately, according to a framework defined in advance, without depending on improvised arbitration.
2. Too many people, not enough decisions
Getting too many people together from the start is one of the most common mistakes. Debates are getting longer, responsibilities are being diluted and decisions are being delayed.
A crisis unit is not an advisory committee. It must remain restricted, legible and action-oriented, even if it means mobilizing other actors in a second phase.
3. Uncontrolled communication
Contradictory messages, partial information, multiple channels: without a framework, communication quickly becomes an aggravating factor in the crisis.
The absence of an official channel encourages rumours and misinterpretations, both internally and externally. However, information literacy is a key lever for stabilization.
4. Lack of visibility into available resources
Deciding without knowing precisely:
- who is available,
- who is already mobilized,
- who has the necessary skills,
is like flying blind. In the first few hours, this lack of knowledge often leads to over-solicitation or critical forgetfulness.
5. No traceability of decisions
Under pressure, decisions are taken orally, without follow-up or formalization. A few hours later, it becomes difficult to know:
- who decided what,
- when,
- and on what basis.
This lack of traceability weakens coordination during the crisis and exposes the organization after the fact.
6. Unsuitable tools for crisis management
Excel spreadsheets, emails, consumer email groups: these tools are not designed to manage the urgency, complexity and responsibility of a major crisis.
Without a dedicated tool, the crisis unit too often relies on tinkering that quickly shows its limits.
Anticipate to avoid failure
The crisis units that are functioning share one thing in common: they have anticipated.
Crisis plans, defined roles, prepared scenarios, adapted tools: everything that is ready before the crisis saves precious time when it occurs.
eBrigade is part of this logic of anticipation, by transforming crisis management into a structured, traceable and immediately operational process.
🎯 To remember
Crisis cells do not fail because of the crisis itself, but because of a lack of preparation and tools.
👉 What was not structured before the crisis becomes unmanageable under pressure.
