Is "crisis" too scary for you?

I've been thinking about the word "crisis" and what it means. Oh, the dictionary definition is clear enough. But it's a word so charged with emotion that it makes some turn away.

Those of us in the field of crisis communication are so accustomed to the term that we expect others to see it the same way we do--the art/skill of anticipating, planning for, and executing communications to protect our clients.

Protect from what? What is the most precious asset a business, a government agency, a nonprofit organization possesses? Its good reputation. That's right. From the fairy tale Peter and the Wolf to the saga of FEMA and Katrina, it's easy to see the dire consequences of a lost good reputation. Once lost, a good reputation takes monumental efforts to restore.

So crisis management is reputation management. Is that less scary? Do you see the need to plan ahead for all contingencies that can adversely affect your ability to accomplish your goals?