From the MIT 398 Crisis Communication course, I learned that the concept "stakeholder perception" is important in mitigating a crisis. If stakeholders have a perception that their organization is in a crisis, then the communication team needs to engage in risk assessment activities to facilitate the establishment of action plans (Coombs, 2019; Ndlela, 2019). Before, during, and even after a crisis, organizations must have crisis communication plans (CCP). Therefore, one of the important things that organizations need to consider when managing a crisis is having a CCP blueprint for guiding instructions when a crisis occurs.
Through this course, I learned that, as an aspect of the planning process, an organization needs to identify a spokesperson and make available adequate training. A spokesperson has the responsibility of managing the consistency and accuracy of the information communicated (Coombs, 2019; Ndlela, 2019). In the context of the CMAP research topic, people of Sheikh Jarrah, especially Mona and Mohammad Al-kurd serve as a spokesperson who relays accurate information regarding the Israeli government's displacement and the expulsion of the Palestinians. As in the case with the Sheikh, the course resources indicated that a spokesperson needs to be transparent, engage in honest communication, and show empathy during a crisis.
At the end of the course, I felt that I could manage a crisis through deliberate and consistent communication. Building trust, engaging in decision-making that relies on the organization's core values, and prioritizing transparent communication are critical in crisis management.