Though I was not an expert at knot-tying or fire-starting, my time in the Boy Scouts bestowed a critical life lesson: Be prepared. The short, simple motto is particularly important for businesses in the life science industry, where executives and scientists often make life-or-death decisions. Planning for the best, but preparing for the worst is good strategy and a must for protecting your business through crisis management PR.

At Nyhus, we partner with health care providers, researchers and scientists to build awareness and speed their work to market. We do this because we are passionate about making Seattle a global center of life-saving technology and innovation.

The risks associated with developing new medicines and therapies are real. When the inevitable crisis occurs, it can wipe out years of good work in just a few hours. A good strategy is key.

The best way to manage a crisis is to avoid it. Second best: mitigate its impact. To prevent the worst-case from happening, incorporate these tips into your company culture:

Talk about your good work and success. The best person to control your message is you. Telling others of your positive impact can help lessen backlash and show why people should continue to support your endeavors through the hard times.

Engage your community to build good will. Proactively building a group of champions can extend your message and provide a network of supporters to bolster your efforts when facing a difficult moment.

Have a plan in place. Never be caught unprepared. When a crisis occurs, the entire team should know who is doing what, and when. This includes plans for communicating with employees, customers, media and the public.

Following these tips can prevent a challenge from becoming a crisis. But, when the unavoidable happens, stick with your plan: Tell it all, tell it fast, and tell the truth.