Plan For A Crisis
To Minimize The Fallout
COMMUNICATION IS KEY .
By Becca Davis , director of practice growth , becca . davis @ reacpa . com ( Dublin office )
Imagine the worst-case scenario for your business . Maybe you suffer a cyberattack and your customers ’ sensitive data is hacked . Or maybe there is a brutal act of workplace violence . Or maybe a trusted company leader is accused of an unthinkable crime .
Now imagine that , as you ’ re trying to put out that fire , employees or customers start calling you and asking questions – or even worse , a TV news crew shows up in your lobby demanding answers .
What do you do ? Where do you start ? What do you say , or do you give the classic , “ No comment ?” ( Spoiler alert : never say that .)
Here ’ s a rule of thumb : If it impacts the safety or security of your customers or employees , it ’ s a crisis . Some are just bigger than others . No one is immune , and one thing is for sure – you better be prepared for anything because when a crisis happens , you won ’ t have time to stop and develop a rational , level-headed communications plan .
Develop A Communications Plan
During a crisis , you won ’ t have control over much . Just about the only thing you can control is how you respond . And to make sure you respond well , plan it out in advance . Here ’ s what your crisis communications plan should include :
• LIKELY CRISIS SCENARIOS to ensure you ’ re prepared for anything , as well as possible warning signs and questions that others will ask .
• COMMUNICATIONS FLOW CHART ( with contact info ) to help alert company leaders and other relevant personnel of the crisis and what the next steps will be in handling and communicating the crisis .
• A DESIGNATED SPOKESPERSON who will ensure that a singular mes- sage gets out to the media , authorities , customers and employees to help eliminate confusion and speculation .
• COMMUNICATIONS GUIDELINES – what you ’ ll say and what you won ’ t . Planning this out in advance will help you decide what to say when the heat is on . Also include some best practices and reminders .
Other Tips To Handle A Crisis Like A Boss
Your plan will help you navigate your next steps . But there ’ s still a lot to consider when managing a crisis . Here are some quick tips to remember to help prevent a crisis from turning into a scandal .
• COMMUNICATE PROMPTLY . You ’ ll have a small window of time to control what information gets out to the public . As soon as you can confirm information , communicate with relevant audiences ( i . e . employees , customers , investors , the media ). If you wait too long , the message may start to control you instead of the other way around .
• ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH – don ’ t lie or speculate . If you speculate or try to cover up the truth , you ’ ll only make things worse . Also consider how facts may change as the situation unfolds . If you say something that ’ s true at the time but could eventually change , it could be later misconceived as a lie . And if you don ’ t have any answer , it ’ s OK to say that details are still unfolding . Never ever say , “ No comment .” This response suggests guilt or that you may be hiding something .
• PLAN YOUR MESSAGE AND PRAC- TICE AHEAD OF TIME . Plan out three to five key points – if you have any more , you ’ re more likely to forget and lose your composure .
• IF NECESSARY , CONSULT WITH YOUR BUSINESS ADVISORS FOR ADVICE . Depending on what the crisis is , your outside advisors may be able to provide legal or financial guidance . There are also consultants who specifically deal with crisis communication and management – kind of like Olivia Pope , but on a smaller scale .
• CONSIDER THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF THE SITUATION . If it ’ s a crisis , it ’ s going to affect someone – whether that ’ s your customers , your community or your employees and their families . If you value your people ( and hopefully you do !), make sure you remember their feelings , security and reputation as you communicate and react to a crisis .
A crisis can be a very scary and uncertain time , and a lot is at stake – human life , data privacy , your reputation and your money . Being prepared and knowing how to navigate and manage a crisis will help ensure you keep your cool .
Learn more about how to prepare for and manage a crisis by listening to episode 39 of our award-winning podcast , unsuitable on Rea Radio , at www . reacpa . com / episode-39 .
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