In an increasingly interconnected world, the risk, and impact of a critical incident has never been more acute. What, then, is a ‘critical incident’? The phrase ‘critical incident’ conjures up images of disaster or catastrophe. It might be exactly that! But, equally, it might an occurrence that is significant, or even dramatic, for the organisation concerned, but is one with an entirely positive outcome.
A critical incident, positive or negative, is, however, one that affects and has an effect, whether organisationally or individually to those within. It might serve to question an aspect of beliefs, values, attitude or behaviour and can arise for a host of reasons: lack of communication or knowledge, cultural differences and misunderstandings, perception of unfair treatment, or the dynamics of team and individual relationships.
Whatever the cause, the consequences may be far-reaching. For a financial or commercial organisation, this might lead to a drop in market value, a reduction in public appeal and reputational damage.