The secret of crisis management is not good vs. bad, it’s preventing the bad from getting worse.
Andy Gilman
Introduction
The need for crisis communication is clear for businesses in the modern world. With the advent of technology and the intensification of social connections, people now engage each other on an unparalleled scale. Information is sent and retrieved with lightning speed and as the famous Tracy Morgan said, bad news especially “travels at the speed of light”. It is therefore vital that organizations develop effective crisis communication plans to respond to any unforeseen events that pose critical threats to the reputation of an organization and its public.
What is Crises Communication
Any situation that threatens the critical goals of a business can be considered a crisis. Every crisis is a volatile situation and as such the way we communicate in such a time will be what determines if a crisis will become worse or will be managed effectively. When we talk about crisis communication we are talking about crisis management. One cannot have an effective crisis management plan without effective crisis communications. Crisis communication then can be defined as a strategic approach to communication to protect the reputation and business interests of an organization in face of immediate or apparent public outrage. What then are the Principles that should guide organizations seeking an effective crisis communication plan?
Principles of Crises Communication
During crisis communication, organizations must be intentional with every piece of information shared with the public. That involved following key principles that will guide all crisis communication plans and how these plans are executed. These principles are:
Be proactive – Being proactive in crisis communication involves anticipating potential crises and making plans ahead of any eventuality. For organizations, a plethora of crises situation can emerge. Some of these include product defects, purchasing and customer service debacles, policy implementation disasters, inappropriate conduct by people directly connected to the organization and many more. The idea here is to anticipate the likelihood of any of these situations happening and develop appropriate communication steps to be taken. This can be done by first developing a clear communication process in times of crisis. Both internally and externally, organizations must be able to stay abreast with the development of the narratives. Internally, establishing clear lines of communication using approved internal messaging platforms can be a way to follow the conversation. Externally monitoring both traditional and digital media platforms including social media can help the organization understand the narratives and critically assess the impact the crises are having on its publics and develop an appropriate messaging strategy. Another way of preparing for crises is to have a designated spokesperson or team in charge of being the face of communication during crises. This spokesperson or team must undergo media training to ensure they can withstand media scrutiny and inspire the values like empathy, confidence and hope, which organizations must seek to emote in times of crises. Reporters will often target clerks and other unsuspecting members of organizations to get insider information. This makes it vital that every member of the organization knows to whom to direct media queries.
Never Tell a Lie – When faced with bad situations it can feel like the appropriate response is to lie or hide to save face. However, ignoring the problem or lying during crises communication is one of the worst mistakes an organization can make. In this social media age, information abounds and the truth will eventually come out or a more devastating version of it. The right to information act also ensures that journalists can access information from public and some private organizations. So eventually the truth will come out and this will only compound the crises the organization is facing. To prevent this situation, organizations must ensure that every piece of information presented to the public is accurate. Inaccurate information makes your organization untrustworthy. Even in bad times, transparency and consistently communicating accurately build trust. In moments when information is not at hand, it is okay to respond that you may not have the information yet but will revert immediately after the information becomes available. Note that organizations must fulfil this promise.
Be Responsive – Responding quickly when communicating in times of crisis helps an organization prevent disinformation from spreading. The idea here is to always be ready to respond to the media to stem the spread of harmful narratives when an information vacuum is created in times of crisis. The point is not to rush but to be in control and act decisively. This requires that information that is given even though quickly must be verified first to prevent the issue from escalating. In this age of social media, spreading information promptly is easier than ever. Journalists and audiences pay attention to organizations’ accounts for updates in times of crisis.
Be human – Communicating in times of crisis requires that organizations can exhibit empathy. Empathy here is about having the ability to focus on the people who have been affected by the crises and taking responsibility and exhibiting genuine attempts to resolve the issues fairly and transparently. Harvard Business Reviews presents 4 critical ways to communicate with empathy, they include 1. Listening – This involves less taking and paying attention to what the other party is saying 2. Acknowledgement – This is when organizations can understand and accept the effects their actions have on the victim 3. Care – Here organizations express care in the way they communicate. For example, “we are moved by the situation” 4. Action – This involves taking the appropriate steps to resolve the issue. The solutions you adopt to solve the problem can be a signal of your empathy towards the situation at hand.
Conclusion
Communication in times of crisis can be a daunting challenge. However, understanding the principles that guide crisis communication can ensure that organizations can safely navigate the uncertain times crises may present.