In today’s world, lightning can strike an organization during a severe thunderstorm or out of a clear blue sky. There are a number of ways an experienced crisis management consultant can help your organization safely navigate a crisis, including some you might not be aware of.
Crises are no longer rare. Cyberattacks, severe weather, and global instability make disruptions a constant risk for businesses today.
You can’t always prevent a crisis, but you can control how you prepare and respond. That preparation often determines whether a crisis becomes a temporary setback or a lasting disaster.
Crisis management is a core part of business continuity. It has evolved into a trusted discipline built on decades of real-world experience and industry best practices. When applied well, it helps organizations protect people, operations, and reputation—no matter what comes their way.
While internal teams know your business best, external crisis consultants bring industry-wide experience, cross-sector benchmarks, and impartial facilitation. Combining both often produces the most effective results.
Obviously, thanks to the wealth of cutting-edge CM information available, any organization that wants to proceed independently in improving its CM position can do so. However, no organization has to go it alone. Many will lack the time, skillset, or desire to do so. An alternative is to hire a seasoned crisis management consultant to help with any or all aspects of CM program development and emergency management.
In fact, there are many benefits to be gained by working with an outside expert who is intimately familiar with CM best practices and has broad experience in helping other organizations prepare for and manage emergencies.
Let’s look at a few of them.
The following are four key ways hiring a crisis management consultant can benefit your business:
One of the first steps in effective crisis management is assembling the right team. A consultant can help you define clear roles and responsibilities, ensuring every team member knows their part during a crisis. Instead of assigning roles based solely on job titles, consultants focus on matching roles to skill sets, ensuring the best fit for critical tasks. Whether your organization needs one centralized team or multiple specialized teams, a consultant can help design an effective crisis management structure tailored to your needs.
Creating a robust crisis management plan can feel overwhelming, especially if you're starting with a blank slate. Consultants bring expertise to outline what should be in your plan, from best practices to communication strategies and actionable steps. They help determine the right level of detail—ensuring it’s practical and actionable rather than overly theoretical. Whether you need a plan created from scratch or a review of an existing one, a consultant can make sure no critical components are missed. This includes scripting key communications, ensuring smooth documentation, and providing a solid starting point to guide your organization through uncertain times.
Crisis exercises are vital for preparing your team, but they require expertise to execute effectively. Consultants bring the skills needed to design, facilitate, and debrief exercises that simulate real-world events. They help you clarify the purpose of the exercise—whether it’s for training, testing, or scenario planning—and create scenarios that reflect current and emerging risks. A good consultant will also know how to balance providing guidance with letting your team work through challenges, ensuring participants learn and act rather than just observing. From cyber incidents to unexpected operational disruptions, consultants can introduce scenarios your team may not have considered and guide them through best practices for managing them.
When a crisis strikes, a consultant can step in to support your organization at whatever level you require. They won’t make decisions for you, but they could facilitate crisis meetings, offering structure and focus to keep discussions productive and actions on track. Alternatively, they can take a more passive role, listening in on calls to provide guidance as needed or making themselves available for one-on-one phone consultations with the crisis leader. Regardless of the level of involvement, a consultant can help ensure your team stays disciplined, avoids unnecessary delays, and communicates effectively. They can also assist with identifying and coordinating external resources—like PR firms, forensic experts, or legal counsel—so you have the right partners in place. Their flexibility and expertise can make a critical difference when navigating high-pressure situations.
By assisting with these critical tasks, a crisis management consultant helps your business navigate challenges with greater confidence, clarity, and efficiency. Their expertise ensures you’re not just reacting to crises but proactively mitigating their impact, protecting your organization’s operations, reputation, and bottom line.
Because of society’s high interest in improving organizations’ resilience, quality information on how companies can do better at crisis management is freely available from many sources. Among the best government resources are Ready.gov (from the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the websites of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Industry sources offering quality CM information include ISO 22301 (a leading standard), the Business Continuity Institute (BCI), and the National Fire Protection Association, (publishers of NFPA 1600, another important standard).
Another industry resource you might find worthwhile is MHA Consulting’s own Crisis Management: A Handbook for BCM Professionals, an ebook by myself and MHA Consulting CEO Michael Herrera (free for download with registration).
Given this abundance of quality, free information, any company that wishes to elevate its CM preparedness and response has plenty of places to turn for guidance.
Every organization faces the potential for unexpected crises, but how you prepare and respond can make all the difference. Working with an experienced crisis management consultant can provide your team with the tools, structure, and confidence to handle emergencies effectively, minimizing disruption and safeguarding your organization’s future.
MHA Consulting helps companies build a crisis-ready culture through expert team planning, tailored training, and hands-on disaster simulations. With decades of experience, our consultants guide you in creating or refining your Crisis Management Team, implementing emergency communication systems, and running mock disaster exercises to validate your readiness.
In a world of increasing uncertainty, investing in expertise today could mean the difference between thriving and struggling tomorrow. Book a consultation with MHA Consulting to start building a more resilient, better-prepared organization.