“Crisis Ahead is the ultimate and invaluable survival guide for business executives who are knee-deep in a crisis and a handy reference book for company officials who want to prepare for the inevitable. “ —Mitchell E. Marovitz, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA; Chair, Public Relations Program Business and Management Department, The Graduate School University of Maryland Global Campus

Three Key Questions

How many splashy scandals and crisis situations have befallen companies and public figures in the past week alone? How did the organizations and people at the center of those crises manage the situation? Did they survive with their reputations intact or are they facing an ongoing public nightmare that keeps building on itself in the era of social media?

When, Not If, a Crisis Will Hit 

This new book from veteran public relations expert Edward Segal is based on the following premise: it's not a matter of IF a scandal or crisis will hit, it's WHEN. How a company deals with it will have lasting impact on their reputation, profits, and more. But for most organizations, when a crisis hits, they're caught off guard and ill-prepared. 

The COVID-19 Pandemic

Crisis Ahead includes a discussion of the early crisis management lessons that can be learned from how the government is responding to the pandemic national health emergency and advice on to deliver bad news to employees about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on companies and organizations.

Test Your Crisis Plan

While essential, crisis plans are worthless unless properly executed, as the stories and examples featured throughout Crisis Ahead attest. Edward Segal's vivid and memorable accounts underscore the benefits of practicing and updating crisis plans at least once a year. The book also provides a template for creating a customizable crisis management plan.

Who Should Read Crisis Ahead

Crisis Ahead is for CEOs, senior staff, corporate communication professionals, HR and legal teams, boards of directors, and front-line employees who need to know what to do in the moment: what levers to pull and what moves to make in real time when faced with a crisis, scandal, or disaster. 

The Need for Speed

This book is written with the need for speed in mind. It's concise and practical with a light touch and occasional humor to help people on the front lines prepare for, survive, and bounce back from a crisis. 

Stories about Apple, Disney, Starbucks, and More

Crisis Ahead includes dozens of anecdotes, stories, and lessons about how companies, organizations, and individuals - ranging from Amazon, Apple, and the European Union, to Disney, Starbucks, and Elon Musk - have prepared for, created, managed, and communicated about crisis situations.