In light of recent circumstances, we on the Porch felt it would be useful to dive into crisis management.

The Bare Bones:

 Clear, open communication to employees is crucial. Analyze the problem and get to fixing it! Strategy is a key component of any crisis management plan.

What you might include in your crisis comm plan:

The communication aspect of the crisis communication plan should include (for each scenario) progressive communications, their audiences, and communication channels. For example, it is better to tweet out a holding statement to buy some time while figuring out what the situation is and later updating with more detailed information as you know more. Having all of this documented is helpful because it will reduce the chances people get flustered, thus helping them take action.

Other Tactical Things You Can Implement:

Crisis simulation is one strategy that can be helpful because employees will be able to recognize when their emotions ramp up during an actual crisis and can therefore reign them back in.  Leadership is also important because people are looking to leaders for support. According to Fast Company, a company that succeeds in a crisis has “Leaders who can show that change is being made or something’s being fixed, that a product is being recalled or replaced, who take action that restores the confidence of the consumer, or the investor, or the employees.”

A study from Business and Society Review mentions the TTR Test, which stands for Transparency, Two-Way symmetrical communication, and Right Time.  Every crisis communications plan should cover the TTR Test!

Transparency is key for businesses in crisis management because it allows information to be made available and easily understandable. Two-way symmetrical communication is pivotal because it is a business’s duty to foster communication. Right Time is all about delivering prompt, credible responses.

Words of advice from another Fast Company article include:

1. Companies must stand on principle, not on politics
2. Think about your employees
3. Prepare to get ahead of the curve

An article from Cassling encourages a crisis communication plan to be as concise as possible. It also encourages the use of a crisis management team who collects information, creates key messages, and handles media. Internal procedures should always be accounted for, such as deciding how employees will receive messages. Employee training is also necessary if a crisis were to occur. Cassling also encourages companies to utilize social media, even suggesting a ghost website that can be made live in the event of a crisis.

Key takeaways:

Be knowledgeable and communicate, communicate, communicate! There is nothing you can do when a crisis hits, so keep calm and stick to your plan. And remember: the most important thing is to not get emotional!

Contemplating a communication strategy to enact in the event of a company crisis is a cringe-inducing exercise for any business leader. But it’s a necessary exercise.

Considering possible catalysts and consequences allows you to craft contingency plans that will help weather a storm … before the clouds appear on the horizon. The more you plan, the more likely damage control becomes if a crisis strikes. Rapid containment helps prevent catastrophic damage to a brand’s reputation and bottom line.

There are core components of any crisis control plan, regardless of industry, company size, or severity of crisis.

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell, inventor

Before a crisis strikes, create a comprehensive crisis communications plan.

What are elements of a crisis communications plan?

Identify a corps crisis team. Your CEO, COO, Communication Coordinator(s) and Legal Counsel will undoubtedly be part of this group. Consider who else may need to collaborate.

Identify and know your stakeholders. Anyone who could be impacted by what occurs with your brand should go on this list. This includes customers and shareholders.

Identify and train spokespeople. Anyone handling communications with the media and/or on social media should be trained on the dos and don’ts. Train these spokespeople to remember you are never “off the record.” Ingrain in them these three C’s of crisis communications:

1. Be Clear. Concisely communicate the information and the plan as they are established.
2. Be Credible. Communicate only facts and don’t make promises you can’t keep. Authenticity and empathy build credibility. Acknowledge and respond to questions and mistakes quickly.
3. Be Cohesive. Stay on message throughout all communication methods and channels. Confusion breeds conflict.

Establish notification and monitoring systems. Consistent social media monitoring will allow you to watch for the early warning signs of a brewing crisis. Having established notification systems will allow you to quickly coordinate a response to avoid catastrophic damage.

Be proactive with your public relations. This includes having a a solid social media presence. Consistent connection with your audience builds a strong brand. The stronger brand you build before a crisis, the more credibility you will have when weathering one.

When a threat or crisis is identified, immediately implement your plan.

Coordinate Central Command. Establish frequent communications with the crisis team.

Control the Narrative. Crucial to conquering any crisis is controlling the narrative surrounding it. Compose a message establishing what you currently know and what you are doing to counteract the damage. Identify the communication channels you will use to provide future updates.

Communicate. Pause scheduled posts on social media but continue monitoring and responding in real time. Remember the Three C’s when engaging with the media and/or on social media. Every touch point is critical.

Collect Information. Most of the time that means going offline, but it is critical that you continue to monitor and respond.

“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” ~ President John F. Kennedy

After the dust settles, comb through what worked and what didn’t. Change the plan accordingly, and continue to update it on an ongoing basis.

When does anything ever really go exactly as planned? Since the answer is almost never and so many variables are out of your control, it may be easy to think – why bother planning?

Unfortunately, even with diligent, proactive risk management, a crisis can happen at any time (as I’ve said in a previous blog). So, you need to prepare, anticipate and plan ahead – because it’s not a matter of if a crisis will occur, it’s a matter of when.

Although it may seem counter-intuitive, one of the main components of your crisis management plan should be proactive, positive outreach NOW – before the crisis.

Enter PR. Proactive PR.

Even if you’re not looking to grow your company or you feel like PR is “tooting your own horn,” there are many benefits to proactive PR. Positive media and community exposure will help you tenfold down the road. The strongest crisis communication plans also proactively incorporate these PR components:

• Build the Image of Your Key Leaders – It is a major advantage for your company if people regard and respect your leaders as subject matter experts and good people. This is why it’s important for top management to appear occasionally in business media profiles and stories as well as at “good news events” such as philanthropic donations.

• Examine and Strengthen Key Relationships – with local and national media, government officials and the community that you serve. Strong existing relationships will be beneficial in getting the support you need in a crisis and re-building credibility following.

• Review Your Search and Social Media Status – Put the people and the processes in place to continually and proactively monitor your digital exposure – online news outlets, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. This is the first place you may learn about the crisis at hand, and it allows you to respond quickly to misinformation and accusations. (Of course, having a robust and positive existing presence on all of these channels is a must for so many reasons (and that’s why we do what we do on the Porch).

“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

We agree, Mr. Franklin!!!

 

 

 

 

 

“Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power.” – Shirley MacLaine

Most of us know that negativity impacts our emotions and mental health, but it has been medically proven that it also negatively affects your physical health. By causing stress, fatigue, decreased immunity and more, repeatedly focusing on the negative could end up affecting everything in your life.

Personally, I believe that everything happens for a reason, and every day I do my best to find the positive in situations and be grateful for all that I have. One of my favorite quotes is, “If you want to feel rich, count all of the blessings you have that money can’t buy.”

It’s certainly easier to stay positive on some days than others, and I am no expert on finding personal positivity. I am, however, well versed on the importance of staying positive when dealing with the media, especially when the reason the reporters are there is not ideal. The impact of negativity on your image and/or your company’s image is severe, and it can be incredibly difficult to rebound from negative publicity once the damage is done. It takes time, money and effort.

So, what can you do when the media come knocking on your door? Here are a few tips:

* Treat the reporter with respect – Something bad has just happened, and the last thing you want to do is be nice to the person shoving a camera in your face or asking you questions. But, remember, they have a job to do and a boss to answer to. If you treat them with respect, they are more likely to do the same for you.

* Stay positive (when appropriate) – Express passion and confidence and smile. This is especially important when being filmed on camera.

* Treat competitors, clients, contractors and vendors with respect – There should be no need to speak about or on behalf of any other parties involved, but if a specific question arises, stay respectful and move on quickly.

* Be responsive – Don’t fight or pick the wrong battles.

* Avoid negative phrases – Make what you say count and do not repeat a negative. A 5- to10-minute interview will be edited down to one or two quotes or a five-second soundbite. Don’t let that quote be negative.

Remember – “Being positive does not mean ignoring the negative. Being positive means overcoming the negative.”