One of your delivery drivers causes a six-car pile-up on the freeway. Your store is robbed and someone gets hurt. One of your corporate jets makes an emergency landing - in a residential neighborhood. Seven people become ill after eating in your restaurant. You have a crisis on your hands. Now what do you do?

The first thing to remember is: don't blame anybody - not yet, anyway. The first few hours after a crisis are the most critical and how you handle yourself can make or break public perception. That's what crisis communications is all about: dealing with crises in a proactive, professional manner while all the time limiting the damage to the company or organization.

Handling the media can be very tricky, especially if you're under a lot of stress. It makes sense to delegate media relations to one person within your business, whether that be you or someone else in your company who has the savvy and the know-how to speak calmly and confidently even under duress.

When being interviewed, it's always better to say too little than too much. However, if the only words you utter are "No comment", the media will likely perceive that you are trying to hide something. Better to be reasonably forthcoming by stating only the facts that are available and assure the public that you and your company are doing everything possible to remedy the situation.

After the initial crisis has passed, you can begin a full-force public relations program designed to educate the public about why things went wrong and, most importantly, what steps you are taking to correct the situation so it won't happen again.

The public can be very forgiving - if you're straight with your information and you follow through on what you promise. The lesson here is when you make a mistake, 'fess up and fix it. No one respects the company that hides their blunders or, worse, tries to lie about them.

You'll probably experience a crisis in your business at some time or another, but it doesn't have to be devastating. Being prepared is one of the smartest things you can do to protect your name and your reputation. If you don't already have a crisis communications plan in place, write one. Prepare for every possible situation and know both what you'll say and what you'll do. That way, you'll never be caught off guard.

Debra Davenport, PhD, is a Master Professional Mentor and the president of DavenportFolio, a licensed firm with offices in Los Angeles and Phoenix that mentors entrepreneurs and professionals. She is the creator of the Certified Professional Mentor® designation and certification program and the author of The Ten Commitments of Highly Successful People. debra@davenportfolio.com or (866) 232-6492.