Education: Communicate Challenging News Effectively; What Not to Overlook? The following blog is featured on the Munich Re website. Munich Re, headquartered in Germany, is one of the largest insurance companies in the world. Fineman PR is one of two American crisis firms to which they refer their educational institution insured members, the other being our IPREX partner AKCG, based in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Whether you represent a large urban school district or a single-site private school, you will confront times in which your communications must convince your audiences of the worthiness of potentially controversial initiatives or the validity of your positions and policies. Be it changes to student or staff policies, funding initiatives, curriculum changes or sexual harassment on campus, these circumstances are rarely smooth or pleasant. Vocal school audiences – including staff, parents, or the surrounding community – want to feel they are part of these major resolutions. In planning these communications, school decision-makers should not overlook the following best practices.

AUDIENCES

Though the impact of your news will necessarily weigh heavier on one or more of your stakeholder groups than all others, it is critical to consider the impact and messaging required for each segment, so they feel heard and understood. Any one of these audiences can inflame a situation or make your job easier, depending on whether your tone and messaging win their confidence.

We all know life is complicated and change is difficult, so understanding the issues from diverse points of view is critical to the outcome. You cannot summarily dismiss the concerns of others to have your own way or make a situation disappear. Balancing the pros and cons of any given initiative, showing that you heard and considered other voices, and communicating the process of how and why you came to your decision, will often pay dividends by demonstrating your good faith efforts.

THE MESSAGES, BOTH FACT-BASED AND VALUE-BASED

Remember to communicate more than information and data. No matter what, your values will be front and center, and evaluated as part of any approval or disapproval of change or news taking place. It is, therefore, important to help your readers understand the principals for which your organization stands.

TIMING AND TRIGGERS

No matter the final decision, there must be different messages for different audiences, and that means customized communications for each. However, there are some audiences that must be prioritized over others for timing purposes. Create a timeline for all communications.

Take, for example, a head of school who wants to get out in front of a damaging issue that will certainly make news (the trigger). He or she will want to show integrity, transparency, urgency and care for the audiences who will feel the highest impact from a negative or difficult news event. The head of school will want those audiences to get the full and honest story directly and first from the school. If the news will appear on a certain or approximate date, prioritized audiences must be informed before that date. Specific circumstances will differ, but the timing must be planned carefully in consideration of premature or inappropriate leaks. The board, the school’s major benefactors, its legal counsel, and the local authorities, in many cases, must know first, followed closely by the affected parties, i.e., any or all students, parents, alumni, teachers, staff, and front desk administrators (on the front lines of public inquiry). Then there’s the news media which, in many cases, can be brought in to hear the story with an embargoed dateline to assure accuracy and fairness in reporting the school’s point of view.

THE VERBIAGE, THE SEQUENCE OF THOUGHTS, THE EASE AND CLARITY OF YOUR WORDS

Don’t wing it. Avoid the stream of consciousness approach in a moment of urgency. As a community leader, your thoughts must be orderly, reasonable, clear, professional and as comforting as possible. The most critical component of the news should come first. Don’t wait for two paragraphs to set the stage because you are panicked or worried your audience will panic. Remember the rules of journalism: who, what, when, where and why. No obfuscation, hedging or convoluted terms. Get help in proofing and editing. Know what your audience needs to hear. Address safety concerns decisively. What happened? What is being done about it? Have the authorities been alerted? Is the situation contained? Are there ongoing threats? Who is at the helm and taking responsibility? What is being done to assure it doesn’t happen again? Next steps?

LEGAL

Be sure your legal counsel reviews all communications. Don’t make the situation worse with libel, defamation, hearsay, non-essential information, etc.

TONE, POSTURE OF COMMUNICATIONS

Your communications need to be poised and show care and concern; nothing harsh, polarizing or incendiary. Promote confidence. Demonstrate your values and how you prioritize the care you are taking to address the affected parties.

EXPERTS, ENDORSERS

Plan ahead to enlist third parties who can attest to the efficacy of your approach and the expertise guiding your decisions. Be sure you have medical specialists you can call on for advice and support, psychologists, researchers and academics, community leaders, law enforcement, workplace health and safety, Red Cross and disaster preparedness contacts at the ready.

COMMUNICATIONS VEHICLES

Understand the specific nuances of your organization and community and how they get their news. Which websites, forums or notification methods do they use and trust? How do your audiences prefer to receive urgent communications? These may include emails, text groups, listservs, one-on-one conferences, group meetings/assemblies/town halls, press releases, social media platform posts, website, campus emergency notification system, internal communications trees. Know how to use these vehicles, and understand their limitations, efficiencies and effectiveness in getting your information and messages across.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Monitor for what is being said across social channels, especially those that are public-facing such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Correct inaccuracies know which responders have a credible, vocal audience and which do not. Do not give added credibility and volume to potential detractors who lack a following. Direct social media to your website and/or to any trusted web or phone sources for additional information and to take the conversation offline

WHY WAIT TO PLAN?

Ensure your school has the basics to announce negative news in a strategic way. Consider developing a scenario plan to address high-risk issues; create crisis checklists and document templates for media, parents, students, shareholders, community and alumni; update expert resource lists and ensure you can readily call upon contacts for public support.

Every school community is defined by the involvement, interests and values of its members. Maintaining trust and ensuring collaboration, even amid change, is a defining opportunity for school administrators and executives. Take pride in bringing your organization to the next level with a thoughtful communications approach. Be prepared.

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