On April 22nd this year possibly the worst oil related disaster occurred in the Gulf of Mexico when a BP Platform sank and a well started spewing oil into the surrounding waters. In May, the blame game started with the three main contracting companies involved in the drilling operation blaming each other for the disaster. In June a cap was put on the well and BP announced it was putting together a fund to compensate victims of the oil spill.
June 22nd, BP hands day to day operations over from its current chief to one from the US. In July, the cost of the spill is estimated to have surpassed $3 BN. In July a new cap is replaced on the well and oil has finally been shut off and the well is being tested for integrity. Currently, operations are under duress by Mother Nature as hurricane season has hit the gulf and BP is discussing the imminent departure of their CEO. (Timeline)
Throughout this entire epic event I have been struck by the apparent lack of leadership throughout this crisis. Yes, it was a disaster, but the company did not take advantage of the opportunity to show proactive and timely crisis management. Instead there were a few all out lies, blaming and delayed response. In a world where information is now instant thanks to applications like twitter, what can we learn about crisis management and leadership?June 22nd, BP hands day to day operations over from its current chief to one from the US. In July, the cost of the spill is estimated to have surpassed $3 BN. In July a new cap is replaced on the well and oil has finally been shut off and the well is being tested for integrity. Currently, operations are under duress by Mother Nature as hurricane season has hit the gulf and BP is discussing the imminent departure of their CEO. (Timeline)
- Start with the truth and own up to what happened
- Create an opportunity for open dialogue
- If you are the boss, keep yourself front and center
- Ensure all messages are consistent and professional
- Look to the future
- Keep your leader in place until things settle down
Essentially these six points are not rocket science, anyone can google ‘crisis management’ and come up with similar findings. However, it is really up to the person who is a leader within that situation to make responsible decisions based on hard evidence and do the right thing.
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| Deep Water Horizon - Sinking April 2010 (Boston.com: The Big Picture) |
On a final note, here are some resources on the oil spill to check out on the Web:
- Vancouver Photographer Kris Krug participated in TEDx Expedition to check out the affected area. More info found on his website:
- NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has interactive maps on the spill and further clean-up information:
http://www.noaa.gov/ - National Geographic (News & Pictures):
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/gulf-oil-spill-news/ - The Big Picture (Boston.com) Oil Spill 2 months later:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/oil_in_the_gulf_two_months_lat.html
