A crisis is often defined as any sudden event that could impact the organization’s reputation. And sudden means really sudden.
The experts say to have a crisis communication plan in place, but there are so many possible crises that the plan would have to be very high level.
Here are some tips:
1. Don’t panic. See the last set of axioms here. One of the worst mistakes is to react too quickly.
2. Get the facts. Verify them. Verify them again.
3. Assign a single spokesperson. Your Crisis Communication Plan should identify a primary spokesperson and several backups. All should be trained in media communications prior to a crisis. You never know if the primary person will be available. They may even be the crisis. Usually, you should avoid having the “Big Dog” in the organization be this person. They tend to say the wrong thing. Note the reaction to BP Chairman Tony Howard’s remarks.
4. Script the speeches. Word for word. This is important. You do not want off-the-cuff statements such as the Brazilian Defense Minister’s comments that the Air France crash “could not have been a bomb” despite that it would take months for experts to exclude a bomb as the cause.
The script should look like this:
- FIrst, express concern for individuals and families. Anyone killed, hurt, inconvenienced, suffered loss…express real concern for them. You must show authentic emotion.
- Second, tell what you know about what happened. Make sure you KNOW it. Do not spin it. Do not hide key facts. Do not speculate. Do not try to place blame, especially on the victims. Facts, not emotion. This is where you build credibility. If you appear incompetent, unforthcoming, or hypocritical, the press will kill you. If not today, then tomorrow. Any hint of lying, spinning, or hiding key facts will let loose of media hounds on your tail and the facts WILL…absolutely…. come out. See John Edwards and Gary Hart.
- Report on what you are doing.
- Tell people what they should do. If they need to take action, such as evacuate, tell them exactly what to do.
- State what you plan to do to prevent this in the future (especially during later briefings.)
- Promise full support for any investigations and that you will provide more information as you learn it. Then actually do what you said.
5. Rehearse answers to potential questions. You cannot do too much preparation here. If you cannot answer a question fully, say so, but promise a future answer.
6. Conduct the press conference. Here is an example of a good press conference:
7. Follow up.
Resources:
THE DISASTER PRESS CONFERENCE:
RESPONDING TO THE MEDIA IN AN EMERGENCY (start on page 3)
The Army Field Manual on Press Briefings