As he prepared to jump from his space capsule a couple of weeks back, Felix Buamgartner and his mission control ground crew ran down their checklists.  Felix had his checklists pasted to the inside of his capsule.

Running through the checklists did not guarantee all would end well.  Lady Chance would win in the end.  Yet, why not stack the odds in your favour?   Missed Felix’s jump?   Watch a video clip, here ; a short montage, ticking of the final items on the checklist (including  my favourite, “Item 29 – Release Seatbelt”), and the jump itself.

Jumping into a social media conflict

Now, in many ways, trying to manage a “social” conflict can be a bit like a space jump.  There is no certainty how it will end up.

It may not quite be the life and death of a space jump, yet jumping into a social media conflict unprepared is folly.

It’s important to have a plan, to be prepared.  Checklists are a practical way to support the implementation of your plan.  Checklists can help you navigate the conflict.  And, some kinds of checklists are better than others.

Good checklists

A good checklist is a quick and simple tool to shore up the skills of an expert.    It:

• insures the stupid but critical stuff is handled
• allows for communication, accountability, and freedom to perform
• disperses power and responsibility; approval to act can be a step in the checklist
• can incorporate ‘pause’ points; e.g., for reflection and/or consultation (consulting with other personnel, departments…)  prior to action
• is practical, precise, efficient, easy to use, and highlights the most important steps, without spelling everything out
• can be designed so each step executed before moving on to the next (as in Felix’s jump countdown) or all steps done before taking action (like a recipe)

It’s not just a matter of having just one checklist.  Have many.    Create them to address a range of issues; from a single negative comment to a full-blown crisis.

A bonus of using checklists, especially when they are precisely defined, is that they offer a great way to capture metrics about your business.

Invest in checklists

I routinely use checklists in mediation, as part of my conflict management practice; e.g., to ensure rigour and enforceability of mediation agreements.

If you’re dealing with social conflicts, you’d be wise, like Felix, to run down your checklist(s).

Want more reasons for using checklists?  Read the Checklist Manifesto.  Or touch base with us, here at SocialMedi8r.  We have checklists that will help you navigate a social media crisis.

How are you investing in the power of checklists?