At some point, nearly every organization will experience a crisis. For many, unfortunately, their crisis planning strategy is denial: “That will never happen to our company.” Except that it just might. When all hell breaks loose, and management is freaking out, remind yourself of these “truths” of a crisis.

1. There will be short-term pain, there can be long-term gain. Try to stay calm and objective. There is no reason that short-term pain has to turn into long-term damage to the organization. For those who are well prepared and handle a crisis well, reputation, loyalty and long-term results may actually improve.

2. Communicate immediately. Right now. Or else. Chances are that the situation will already be public, so you have to move quickly. Even if the first communication is simply to acknowledge that something has occurred, let people know that you are looking into the matter and will share more information as soon as you know it. This approach better positions the company to become the media’s main source for information during the crisis, and helps manage perceptions in the court of public opinion.

3. Focus on the victims. The very first thing you say should focus on the needs and safety of employees, customers and others who may be impacted. A simple, heartfelt statement that makes it clear that the people are your first priority will go a long way to building trust and credibility with media and other stakeholders.

4. “No comment” is a no-no. Stakeholders will-- rightly or wrongly-- assume guilt in the absence of a comment from the organization. You might as well just say that you don’t care about the situation, because that is how your silence will be interpreted. Remember, reporters will cover the story whether you cooperate or not. And if you don’t tell the company’s story, someone else will, likely fueling more negative coverage.

5. Hope is not a strategy. We’re all human, and we can’t help but want to avoid telling the parts of the story that make us look bad, hoping they won’t come to light. But rest assured, the facts will come out, one way or another. And if they don’t come from the company, integrity is questioned, and trust can be irreparably damaged. You can better control the information if you release it on your terms.

6. Facts are important, but they are not everything. In a crisis situation, the facts can quickly be masked by emotion and perception. An effective response will consider the concerns of the company’s stakeholders, and include the “human element” along with the facts.