5 crisis tips from ‘The Walking Dead’

Now, thanks to Netflix and my DVR, I’m inviting others into the fold. It isn’t about the zombies—it’s about the people and how they respond to sharing their world with the undead.

In business, like life, it isn’t a matter of if something will go wrong, but when. Not every incident is a crisis, but when it is, you must be prepared to handle it quickly.

Here are crisis communications lessons that “The Walking Dead” teaches:

1. Plan.

Whether they sketch a plan in the dirt or revise the Alexandria blueprints, Rick and his band always have a strategy to get the group to safety. Even during moments of calm, they prepare for crises.

You should plan for problematic situations for your business and those that could be catastrophic. You can’t plan for every incident, but you can make good guesses. A plan lets you communicate better in an emergency.

A few simple steps before the crisis make all the difference:

· Cultivate relationships with partners in the community.

2. Set goals.