An article in a well-regarded public relations trade publication questioned the merits of crisis communications planning for major organizations, suggesting that only a strong leader and “executive actions that solve operational and business issues will make a measurable difference.” It was also suggested that crisis campaigns be run like political campaigns and that social media should be taboo because “anything you utter orally or digitally can and will be used against you.” Further, true crises, according to the piece, were too unpredictable to allow for realistic, helpful planning. Frankly, the fallacy of this reasoning was demonstrated in blood at the recent Travis Scott, Houston concert in which nine people lost their lives.
I stand with preparation and scenario planning. It is cynical and just plain wrong to suggest that well-considered communications is only for “covering yourself when circumstances go awry. Our PANTCHEK principles are based on being prepared for the right thing to do. You don’t show care and concern for the public – no matter what kind of an organization you have – for the sake of profits. You keep in mind these principles as a bulwark to your own humanity, and your rewards flow naturally.
Though lesser than the Astroworld tragedy and life and death issues, organizations often have much at stake in surviving their crises. And, prior thoughtfulness is key:
Most crises involve smaller entities with limited, innate visibility, i.e., healthcare facilities, schools, law firms, food producers, construction companies, senior care facilities, industry associations, tourist attractions and wineries, to name a few.
Crisis planning and best practices in communications for these small, mid-size, and even big businesses are critically important. People who successfully manage these businesses prepare for the predictable: rogue acts by bad actors, accidents, food safety mishaps, worksite injuries, etc. But a good crisis plan is not a template product marketed to the masses. An effective crisis program prepares an organization for likely scenarios, available resources and “eye-on-the ball” priorities. An evolved, current crisis plan includes real-time social analytics, content promotion, and metrics that are custom developed for an organization’s nuanced approach and shareholder needs. That includes public welfare. There is nothing “template” about effective crisis planning.
During a crisis, the CEO and executive team depend on the preparation, forethought, insights and analyses of their key team members across disciplines: technical specialists, quality control, sales, operations, regulatory affairs, and communications. The CEO’s priority is to ensure the crisis is managed effectively, humanely and resolved with as little damage to the company’s reputation as possible. Much of that happens behind the scenes. During the intensity of a crisis, the company’s core team must be in action mode, focused on handling their individual roles confidently and efficiently. A solid crisis preparedness program allows companies to plan for the worst when they are not in the headlines.
After more than 30 years of helping consumer food and beverage brands, construction and real estate firms, nonprofits, associations, schools, communities and care facilities, I can tell you that organizations must plan for predictable scenarios given the nature of their specific businesses. That preparation will most certainly help them, too, in the event of unpredictable occurrences.
When entities find themselves in trouble, the challenges of social media notwithstanding, it is still important to demonstrate humanity, express words of genuine concern and practice sound public relations principles. Most crises are not handled best as conflicts by political types used to dealing in adversarial posture. Even on the larger stage of world conflict, diplomacy is the first art of practice to which the world turns. Organizations might not be best served by selecting a wartime-style advisor to weather a crisis. Experience proves time and again that turning down the heat works best with calm rhetoric and reasoned, good faith decision-making. It is counter-productive for a brand that has invested years of building equity as a “good (corporate) citizen” with strong values to suddenly show hostility, denial, defensiveness and self-righteousness to its publics. Yes, a brand needs to tell its side of the story, but we all know there is more than one way to articulate a point of view. Self-serving verbiage should not be one of them.
There are different solutions to different crises or challenges. It’s true that “crises aren’t orderly affairs in which everyone speaks when it’s their turn and plays by pre-set rules.” Crisis mode is often chaotic and frustrating. And, as is stated in the story linked above, it is important to identify the adversaries and the allies, but marshal your friends in advance of these occasions.
That process is called planning. In crisis planning, we do not attempt to control but to provide a measure of vaccination against shock and awe and to deter appearances of defensiveness, all of which only compound the damage.
The public wants to know who they can trust. In matters of crucial human health issues and public safety, people should be confident the issue is fully resolved with the highest degree of care and concern for their communities and families. During a period of extreme volatility and anxiety, it may not be natural for leaders under siege to realize this responsibility. Long term recovery requires a company to do the critical work of evaluating its processes during a period of relative calm and rational thinking.
As a longtime crisis counselor, I proudly uphold the merits of crisis planning for any organization or leader that values integrity and a hard-earned, trusted reputation.
For more insights on Fineman PR’s approach to crisis management and crisis planning, visit: https://finemanpr.com/crisis-communications/
Getting your crisis communications plan into shape
It is never too late or too early to update your crisis communications plan.
And, it doesn’t have to mean that you need to overhaul the entire plan you may have in place. I recommend pinpointing areas of your plan for updates throughout the year. In my experience, most crisis communications plans can be improved with realistic scenario plans, robust measurement systems and training.
REALISTIC SCENARIO PLANS
Effective crisis communications plans are dynamic. The media landscape is ever-changing, technologies come and go, public attitudes shift, organizations adapt. A crisis communications plan should reflect the zeitgeist.
Are you ready for hot-button issues? Conduct a thorough and honest threat assessment. When you hear about the latest corporate scandal, ask yourself if your organization can find itself in that same situation. If the answer is yes, keep a close eye on the situation as it unfolds and integrate your learnings into a scenario plan.
Most organizations face challenges whether it be Covid communications with their workforce, sexual harassment and assault, online defamation, diversity and inclusion, or security breaches. These issues can arise in any organization. Do you know your company’s record on these issues? Are your policies current, and can they withstand the glare of the media spotlight?
How quickly can your team mobilize? Most organizations understand, in theory, that they need to respond quickly to crises. But in practice, convening a team, fact-gathering and decision-making can be agonizingly slow. While I advise against knee-jerk responses, I also caution against leaving a void that can be filled by voices other than your own. Have a good understanding of how quickly your team can make decisions and plan accordingly. Every minute counts in a crisis.
ROBUST MEASUREMENT SYSTEM
Does your crisis communications team have a system in place to monitor news and social media in real-time? Monitoring news and social media is an active role. It’s not enough just to follow coverage. The monitoring team is responsible for flagging inaccuracies in coverage and ensuring corrections are made before misinformation spreads. The monitoring team should work together with the measurement team to analyze if the messaging strategy is working and determine if adjustments are necessary.
If you’re facing a deluge of media coverage and social media posts, an automated measurement system is important. But it’s even more crucial to have a team to interpret the data gathered.
Do you know what to measure? Tracking communications outputs such as volume of news articles, social shares and website hits is helpful. But, in order to truly gauge impact, a measurement program needs to go deeper and measure outtakes and outcomes.
You must quickly be able to answer basic questions such as how many news outlets are reporting on the issue, how many times your video has been viewed, how many people visited your microsite. Who was reached and how. Did your communications reach your target audiences? Which communications vehicles are effective? Which messages are resonating with your audiences? Did your response to the crisis satisfy your stakeholders? Did you retain or recover customers and partners?
Does your measurement system provide perspective? Having perspective helps set realistic expectations. The best-case scenario is for a crisis to be quickly addressed, then forgiven and forgotten by an organization’s audiences. But depending on an organization’s history and the severity of the situation, that may not be achievable in the short-term.
Some questions I ask to help clients gain perspective:
• How did other organizations weather similar situations? Use your measurement system to analyze crises outside of your organization. If you’re faced with a similar situation, you can set performance benchmarks for your crisis response.
• How much goodwill have you built among your audiences? Frequent offenses have a compounding effect, and it will be harder to bounce back after each subsequent crisis.
TRAINING
Crisis plans need to be updated, but so do the skills of the people in charge of executing the plan.
Are your spokespeople comfortable speaking with reporters? Speaking with media, especially during a crisis, can test anyone’s mettle. Media training teaches important skills such as staying on-message, steering conversations, avoiding missteps and effective interview techniques. Conduct mock interviews where your spokespeople practice handling tough questions. Study interviews to learn some Do’s and Don’ts.
Most importantly, study your team’s performance during the mock interviews. Do your spokespeople sound confident? Do they stay calm under pressure? Are they able to deliver messaging effectively?
Put your plan to the test. Don’t wait until a real crisis to test your crisis communications plan. Conduct a tabletop drill with your team to identify weaknesses in your plan. Are roles and responsibilities clearly delineated? Are your protocols efficient? Does your team know what information needs to be collected and shared in order to facilitate good decision-making?
Most importantly, a tabletop drill will test your team dynamics. Can your team work together effectively under duress? Can they stay organized and focused during intense situations? Are adjustments needed to your team structure so it’s more efficient and functional?
Crisis communications plans often languish in unopened folders on people’s hard drives. They’re onerous and intimidating. But facing a crisis with an outdated plan can be downright scary and costly.