Issues Management: The Work Before the Crisis
Issues management is the practice of identifying emerging threats to an organization's reputation or operations before they become crises — and taking action to address them while there is still time to shape the outcome. Most organizations do not do this work systematically. They monitor for bad news and react when it arrives. We help organizations build an issues management function that scans the horizon, assesses risk, and takes proactive action — so that the issues that could become crises are resolved before they do.
Reputation Management Under Pressure
Reputation is not built in a crisis — it is spent. Organizations with strong reputations going into a difficult situation have more credibility with regulators, media, and the public than organizations that are unknown or already distrusted. We help organizations build the reputation reserves they need before they need them, through consistent, credible communications that demonstrate competence and good faith over time.
Crisis Preparedness: Plans That Actually Work
Most crisis communications plans are documents that sit on a shelf until the crisis arrives, at which point they are discovered to be out of date, too generic to be useful, or written for a crisis that looks nothing like the one that is actually happening. We build crisis preparedness programs that are specific, tested, and maintained — with clear decision trees, pre-approved messaging frameworks, and trained spokespersons who have practiced under pressure.
When the Crisis Is Already Happening
If you are already in a crisis, the preparation work is behind you. What matters now is speed, accuracy, and credibility. We work alongside organizations in active crisis situations — providing strategic counsel, drafting statements, coordinating with legal and regulatory teams, and managing the media and stakeholder communications that determine how the situation resolves. For immediate crisis response, call us directly at 720-399-0339.
Areas of Experience
What we bring to the engagement.
- —Issues identification and early warning systems
- —Crisis communications planning and preparedness
- —Spokesperson training and media preparation
- —Regulatory investigation and enforcement response
- —Reputational threat assessment and mitigation
- —Litigation communications and legal team coordination
- —Social media crisis monitoring and response
- —Internal communications during organizational crises
- —Community relations in contested situations
- —Post-crisis reputation recovery
- —Third-party stakeholder and ally management
- —Board and executive crisis communications counsel
Representative Work
Projects that demonstrate the practice.
Security Water District
Security Water District — Contamination Response
Crisis communications for a water district facing a contamination event, managing public notification, media relations, and regulatory coordination under significant public pressure.
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Hamilton Sundstrand
Hamilton Sundstrand — Environmental Issues Management
Issues management and community relations for a defense contractor navigating environmental contamination and regulatory scrutiny in a sensitive community context.
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Redfield Site
Redfield Site — Groundwater Contamination Response
Community relations and media management for a complex groundwater contamination site, managing public concern and regulatory oversight simultaneously.
View Case Study →
Common Questions
Answers to questions we hear often.
What is the difference between crisis management and crisis communications?
Crisis management is the broader discipline of preparing for, responding to, and recovering from organizational crises — including operational decisions, legal strategy, regulatory response, and communications. Crisis communications is specifically the communications component of that response: what you say, to whom, when, and through which channels. Sigler focuses on the communications dimension, but we work closely with legal, operational, and regulatory teams as part of an integrated crisis response.
What is issues management?
Issues management is the practice of identifying emerging threats to an organization's reputation or operations before they become crises — and taking proactive action to address them. It involves systematic horizon scanning, risk assessment, and early intervention. Organizations that do issues management well resolve most potential crises before they become public. Those that do not find themselves reacting to situations that could have been prevented.
How do you prepare for a crisis you cannot predict?
You cannot predict the specific crisis, but you can prepare for the categories of situations your organization is most likely to face. A water utility should have plans for contamination events, main breaks, and service outages. An energy company should have plans for pipeline incidents, environmental releases, and workforce emergencies. The preparation work — clear decision trees, pre-approved messaging frameworks, trained spokespersons — applies across situations even when the specifics differ.
Does Sigler provide active crisis response, not just planning?
Yes. We work alongside organizations in active crisis situations — providing strategic counsel, drafting statements, coordinating with legal and regulatory teams, and managing media and stakeholder communications. If you are in a crisis now, call us at 720-399-0339. For more information on our active crisis response practice, see our crisis communications page.
What industries does Sigler handle crisis management for?
Our crisis management practice is strongest in water utilities, energy and infrastructure, environmental remediation, healthcare, and government-adjacent organizations. These are sectors where crises tend to be high-stakes, technically complex, and subject to regulatory oversight — the combination that most demands experienced crisis communications counsel.
Ready to talk through your situation?
We work with organizations that face real complexity. If that describes you, let's have a direct conversation.