👩🏻‍💻 by Hailley Griffis

Nobody likes a crisis, but with a clear plan you can come out of a hard moment stronger. Difficult times test your company values, and a plan is what lets you act on those values instead of on stress. This is the checklist we use at Buffer, plus the eight principles behind it and a fill-in block for the crisis in front of you.

Duplicate this to your own Notion space to get started. There is a button at the top right. Duplicate the “Active crisis” section each time you need it.

The eight principles

  1. Choose a decision maker. One person makes the final call; others contribute.
  2. Get the right input. Legal, support, leadership, whoever is closest to the facts — before anything goes public.
  3. Communicate with your team early. They’ll hear about it anyway; better from you, with context.
  4. Create a plan and set goals. Define what a good outcome looks like at the start.
  5. Communicate action, not just words. Say what you’re doing, not only how you feel.
  6. Stay true to your values. If a response wouldn’t sit right with your values on a normal day, it’s not right now either.
  7. Communicate clearly. Plain language, no hedging, one message across channels.
  8. Reflect after a crisis. Debrief, then update the guidelines.

Active crisis: [name / date]

What happened (2–3 sentences, facts only):

Decision maker: ________________ Contributors: ________________ Where the work happens (channel / doc): ________________ Goal for this response (what does “handled well” look like?): ________________ Audiences to address: Customers · Team · Press · Partners · Community Key message (one sentence): ________________ Timeline: First internal update by ____ · First external statement by ____ · Next check-in ____

During the crisis