are increasingly difficult to manage.
The Crisis Life Cycle has several stages
including stage one: the storm breaks
which means control seems to be
slipping out of the company, lack of solid
detail about the crisis, hard-to-provide
information demanded by the media,
analysts and others, temptation to resort
to a short-term focus, to panic and to
speculate. For a period of time, everyone
loses perspective.
Stage two is where the Storm Rages,
the speculation and rumours develop in
the absence of hard facts, third parties
including regulators, scientists and
other experts - throw in their weight
to the climate of opinion. Corporate
management comes under intense scrutiny
from internal and external groups.
At stage three, the Storm passes as the
leadership is able to manage crisis and
its reputation is in control. There are
opportunities in a crisis to build positive
perceptions of the company or product
that last beyond the crisis period. At the
same time the company embarks on a
long-term program to tackle management
issues and communication problems that
exacerbated the crisis.
During a crisis communications is vital.
You have noted in many countries the
President or the PM as the case is, has
been the Chief Crisis Officer (CCO)
delegating the responsibility to the
Cabinet Secretary to carry out the daily
communiqué on progress on combating
the Covid-19 crisis.
Good communication is the heart of any
crisis management plan. Communication
should reduce tension, demonstrate
a corporate commitment to correct
the problem and take control of the
information flow. Crisis communications
involves communicating with a variety
of constitutes: the media, employees,
neighbours, investors, regulators and
lawmakers.
Crisis Management
Despite a solid risk management process,
problems will always arise because we
cannot predict all crisis events and protect
against them. The leadership should be
prepared to deal with a crisis event and
take action immediately - identifying and
assessing issues and options and obtaining
expert advice as needed.
The first goal of crisis management is
prevention. Risk assessment means the
identification, defining and describing
the crisis. Secondly the estimation
of the extent and the likelihood and
consequences leading to evaluation and
finally acceptability of risk.
The High level crisis threats include
population safety, health, environment and
national security. The specific threats to
organisation include operational viability,
reputation, credibility, financial stability
and legal action.
In public relations profession, crisis
can also be managed through crisis
management model. The model involves
planning - assess risks, produce plans
define roles and responsibilities, appoint a
crisis management team. The next step of
the model is to draw up a communication
plan which means producing contact
details of CCO(s) and organisation chart,
promoting crisis-ready culture, publishing
plans and conducting training. It also
means testing, reviewing and practising
including securing any resources needed
- material, financial and talent resources,
monitoring and controlling.
Crisis management is public relations
responsibility - that is, handling situations
in which public awareness of a particular
issue may dramatically and negatively
impact the organization’s ability to achieve
its goals. For instance, when drought was
rampant here in Kenya, Red Cross Society
embarked on providing food items and
clothing to the affected people. There was
also a program called “Kenyans for Kenya”
where Kenyans donated money, food and
clothing to the Red Cross.
It was later discovered that maize that
was imported from South Africa had
aflatoxins and hence harmful for human
consumption. The toxins were discovered
after maize had been distributed to a large
number of people. The general public
tainted the society’s name as corrupt and
“not putting the poor people’s interest
at heart.” The public relations team had
to ensure that the general public did not
thereafter automatically associate Red
Cross Society with the infected maize.
Other public relations activities include
lobbying, advertising management about
public issues and planning community
events.
There have been countless public relations
crises in the past and there are five steps
that should be executed in order to properly
manage a crisis. First, the organization in
crisis should be prompt, addressing the
public immediately following the discovery
of the crisis. Second, the organization in
question should maintain honesty because
the public is more willing to forgive an
honest mistake than a calculated lie.
Third, it is important to be informative
because the media as well as the public will
create their own rumors if no information
is given to them by the organization in
crisis. Rumors can cause significantly
more damage to the organization than the
real truth.
Next, it is important to be concerned and
show the public you care because people
will be more forgiving if it is clear that
the organization cares about the victims
of the crisis. Finally, maintain two-way
relationships. This is important because
the organization can learn a lot about the
status of public opinion by listening. These
five steps are necessary in order to manage
any crisis public relations.
With that having been said, each crisis
situation is unique and therefore, requires
a tailored response. There are six types of
responses and they range on a continuum
from defensive to accommodative.
First, organizations can attack the accuser
attempting to eliminate the attacker’s
credibility. Second, organizations can use
denial claiming that no crisis exists. The
third response is justification where the
organization claims no serious damage
was done or that the victim was at
fault. Fourth, the organization can use
ingratiation to appease the public, such as
giving away coupons. Next, organizations
can use corrective action to right their
wrongs. Finally, the organization can give
a full apology asking for forgiveness for
their mistake.
All the six responses have been used in
the past with varying results. If chosen
properly, one of the six responses can help
mitigate damage.
May I remind you that crises grow people
and ultimately organizations by hardening
their resolve for tackling life challenges
and trials.
Joe Nyutu is a marketing and
strategy consultant who teaches
marketing on part-time basis at a
local leading university and can be
reached via: [email protected].