MICHEAL MCMANUS: Thank you very much for watching.[ Crisis Management: Conclusion] We have now come to the endof this course on crisis management.I'd like to leave you with a few last thoughts.First, as a crisis manager, you must combine qualities thatcan seem mutually incompatible.You must be swift to act, yet patient, full of resolve,

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: but also compassionate.You must be tough and tender, bursting with energy,yet radiating calm.You must instill confidence, whilstat the same time acknowledging the seriousnessof the situation.You must never lie, but you must take care

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: as you unveil unpleasant truths.You must confront reality in all its unpleasantness,but you must never lose hope.In Chapter 1 [What is a Crisis?] I sought to define termsand to set out some of the basic precepts of crisis management.I explained that this course was about managing

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: a business, including the PR or personnelissues around a crisis, not planning for natural disasters.I explained what a crisis is, a dangerous or unstable situationthreatening the welfare by ability or existenceof an organization.I advised you to expect the unexpected.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: I explained how important preparation is, but warned youthat preparation is rarely if ever sufficient to get youthrough a crisis.In Chapter 2, [Crisis Planning, Prevention, and Avoidance]I explained in much more detail howyou can improve your chances of avoiding a crisisand also getting through one successfully

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: if it occurs by preparing actively for crisis.I explained the importance of collecting informationabout your organization and assimilating itwith an open mind into a crisis preparation plan.I talked about rehearsals and scenario planning,how crisis preparation can act like a fire

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: drill for business challenges.Chapter 3 [The Acute Phase: Internal Challenges]focused on the internal challengesthat a crisis brings.I emphasized the importance of good internal communications,of leadership and team building.I also introduced the concept of crisis managementas a form of wartime leadership.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: Chapter 4 [The Acute Phase: External Challenges]moved on to the external challenges,these include media management and relationswith a wide range of external stakeholders.I explained the qualities that your external spokespersons,and by implication, your organization,need to broadcast to the outside world.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: Chapter 5 of the course [Learning the Lessons]re-emphasized the critical importanceof creating an honest audit trail throughout the managementof the crisis.That will ensure you are able to learn important lessonsfrom the crisis or put them into effect once the crisis haspassed.Chapter 6 [Crisis Management in Practice]

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: set out colorful crisis scenariosand sought to demonstrate how universally applicable lessonscan be drawn from seemingly very different, and also veryspecific, examples of how crises unfoldin some notable areas of human activity.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: Again and again, I have advocatedtreating a crisis as you would a military campaign,not because an organization in crisismust devote itself to the destruction of an enemy,but because in war, a particular cocktail of qualitiesis necessary for success.And effective crisis management requires the same skills.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: Both preparedness and spontaneity.Both strong leadership and an open mind.Both unshakable resolve and human empathy.Both a robust strategy and constantly shifting,ever flexible tactical awareness.An officer class that relishes its role.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: And also, rank and file troops that respect it.In closing, therefore, I quote once againthat timeless classic The Art of War by Sun Tsu.He wrote, "There are five essentials for victory.""He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: "He will win who knows how to handleboth superior and inferior forces.""He will win whose army is animated by the same spiritthroughout all its ranks.""He will win, who prepared himself, waits to takethe enemy unprepared." "He will win who has military capacity

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: and is not interfered with by the sovereign."Sun Tsu, The Art of War If you substitute regulator,government, or civil servant for sovereign,then I believe these five precepts work perfectlyfor a modern crisis manager.Pick your fight when you can, the timing, the battleground,the matters at hand.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: Adapt your approach according to the credibility, strengths,and weaknesses of your enemies.Take care to ensure morale is strongthroughout your organization.Adopt the motto of the United States Coast Guard,"Semper Paratus," always prepared.

MICHEAL MCMANUS [continued]: Adopt these precepts and you may notguarantee the survival of your organization,but you'll give yourself your best possible shot at it.And survival is all.