Final answer:
A crisis communication team should be formed well before a crisis occurs to ensure preparedness, anticipate future crises, and enable a swift and effective response.
Step-by-step explanation:
You should begin assembling a crisis communication team well before a crisis happens. This proactive approach allows an organization to process abstract information and anticipate situations that have never yet arisen, ensuring that team members are prepared to act swiftly and effectively, avoiding being caught off-guard when a crisis does occur. By preparing in advance, a team can make individual sacrifices for the greater good even if not mandated and can recognize that awaiting a clear-and-present crisis may leave them unable to mount a timely response. The goal is to have a plan in place that is flexible and able to adapt to a variety of crisis situations, providing clear roles, responsibilities, and communication strategies for all team members. Starting this process well in advance emphasizes the importance of preparedness in crisis management.