Disaster Fatigue: Navigating Crisis with Alumni and Donors-Issues Management Process Toolkit

Issues Management Process Toolkit

Pdf Summary

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) outlines a structured process for leaders to manage institutional issues effectively. This process, detailed in their document, emphasizes anticipation and preparation, allowing institutions to preemptively address and efficiently handle frequently occurring challenges.

1. <strong>Anticipate Issues</strong>: Leaders are encouraged to forecast perennial, seasonal, and calendar-based issues. This proactive approach helps in devising timely responses.

2. <strong>Identify Stakeholders</strong>: It's crucial to recognize the stakeholder groups for each issue, including their key leaders and influencers, along with their contact information. This ensures that communication is targeted and effective.

3. <strong>Develop Key Messages</strong>: Leaders need to prepare core messages that align with the institution's mission, values, and goals. These messages should be adaptable as more information becomes available.

4. <strong>Designate Experts and Spokespersons</strong>: Each issue should have a designated subject matter expert and a primary spokesperson. These roles can be filled by the same or different individuals, depending on their expertise.

5. <strong>Gather Resources</strong>: Institutions should compile primary resources, links, and contact details required for effective communication.

6. <strong>Review and Update</strong>: The issues management template should be reviewed with executive teams and key board members annually to ensure its relevance and completeness.

7. <strong>Utilize the Template</strong>: During crises, institutions should use the template in conjunction with CASE’s communication guidelines to plan their response.

8. <strong>Post-Issue Evaluation</strong>: After addressing an issue, the template should be updated with new insights, ensuring readiness for future challenges.

An example provided in the document illustrates how to apply this process to specific issues like immigration policies and research funding cuts, emphasizing clear delineation of primary and secondary stakeholders, designated spokespersons, and resources. This structured approach facilitates swift, coherent, and consistent institutional communication, enhancing the organization's crisis management capabilities.

Keywords

institutional issues management

anticipation and preparation

stakeholder identification

key message development

designated experts

resource gathering

template review

crisis communication

post-issue evaluation

CASE guidelines