We are finally nearing the end of what many people would describe as the worst year in their lives. It is true that COVID-19 has upended lives in ways we would not have imagined a year ago. Yet, even amid global pandemic, rising racial discrimination issues and political divide, we have experienced a record-setting year of natural disasters. Corporations continue to struggle with smoldering issues that have inflicted long-term reputational harm. Here are a few crisis communications lessons...

A recent @PRNews survey said that 62 percent of organizations have a crisis management plan. Not surprisingly, the results also showed that less than half of those surveyed said their plan was up to date. I’m no mathematician, but that tells me that in reality, less than one-third of organizations are well prepared for a crisis. It is disturbing that in this pandemic age, so many organizations fail to address such a critical strategic weakness.

Increasingly, it is boards of directors who...