WMSU-ISMP-GU-001.

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Effective Date: 7-DEC-2016

Psychology of Crisis Management Decisions

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you can:

1. Develop ideas on making right decisions during a crisis

2. Perform decisions based on facts and data
3. Demonstrate understanding on the basics of conflict management before, during, and after
a crisis.

Try this!
Honing your Decision Skill
Case scenario: As a Crisis Manager what would you do if your target
participants of 500 surged to 1,500 at the actual date and venue? What decisions will
you have to consider and take to avoid a crisis?
This case scenario situation is somewhat lack some specific information such
as venue size, or how it ended up assuming the maximum number of participants that
could participate at such event. if only 500 participants is your target or expected
participants but the number multiply into three times then the event manager is at fault
for this situation because he/she did not make sure to limit the person that could get in
the venue. As a crisis manager I would absolutely make sure that I would come up
with the best decision. There are two answer I could give for this scenario.
First, I would not postpone or cancel the event if the venue could cater the
number of participants which is 1500 participants. I will make sure that there will be
enough communications for any warning signs to avoid uneventful scenario.
Communication is the key for successful event because if a crisis manager is in
control and have a massive network of information in the current event then he/she
will have a clear step on what should be taken when crisis happen. The second
scenario is that I will postpone the event if the venue could not accommodate the
number of participants because it will be overcrowded. Overcrowded scenario have a
higher possibility of someone getting hurt or crisis situation. In order to avoid
unwanted circumstances it would be best to postpone or cancel the event.
For the continuation of the event I will make sure to give out ticket or some
proof of pass so that I could accurately assume the number of participants that could
get in the event. Having this kind of solution will make sure that the unexpected
occurrence just like surge of number of participants will be counter and be avoided.

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Think ahead!

Reflective Feedback: Why do you think influenced decision making is very crucial for a
Crisis Manager?
On my perspective, I think it is essential to have an influence when making a decision
because having some different side of stand point aside from the decision I ended up making
is helpful when finalizing a decision. From what I remember from the last group reporter they
showed a video that I think is somewhat related to this question. It is a concert where people
died from overcrowding, lack of decision making and responsibility. In that video it stated
that there are two person who could make the concert stop but they did not stop the concert
despite knowing the people who are in the concert is hurting each other and some died. I
really think that if someone from their staff strongly argued to those people who are in charge
to stop the concert he/she could have influence those two people to stop the concert. Thus, the
importance of influenced decision making is to help come up with a different decision that
would make a big difference in a certain situation.
Good Job!

See if you can do this!

Now that you are familiar with the factors that affect decision making in a crisis
(Data and Communication) how will you integrate this as a Crisis Manager if you will
respond to the Boston Marathon Crisis?

If I were a Crisis Manager I will integrate two factors which is data gathering and
communication when making a decision on solving the Boston Marathon Crisis. First, I will
gather crucial information such as people who got injured, time of bombing, finding the
culprit of the bombing with the use of CCTV, all dial number of specialize people who can
help in the crisis like physician and authorities and many more. These information will be use
as a stepping stone on how my team will respond to the scene. For instance, since it is a
terrorism attack I will warn nearby establishment and call Police, NBI, and FBI or any
military personnel to help us find the culprit to lessen the problem that person will cause in
the future. I will call also specialize physician to help severely injured people on the scene
and ambulance for life threatening situation.
I will mostly focus on the people who got injured more than the culprit who bomb the
scene. As a crisis manager I will gather personal information of the inured people from their
family contact number to blood type information. I believe that it is important to know their
identity first when they got treated in the hospital. Knowing their blood type will help to
avoid wrong blood transfusion and also it will help to fasten the blood transfusion procedure.
I think a lot of people who got involved and got hit by the explosion will loss a lot of blood
and it is important to have an information about their blood type in order to save their lives.
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For the communication I will call for the help of government officials or the leaders
of the country. I will coordinate with them in order to solve the crisis that happen. We will
collaborate on how to deal with the inured people at the same time capturing the suspect of
the bombing.
On a final note, flexible leaderships and creative solutions is the key for the successful
coordination and problem solving of a crisis situation.
Good Job!

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