Crisis planning starts with communication
Seven Word Summary: Proactive crisis communication protects reputation and recovery.
A crisis, no matter what type or its cause, has the potential to damage your organisation and its reputation.
While by its very nature a crisis is unpredictable, planning for the eventuality is essential.
There are many elements to developing a crisis plan, including preparing and planning for how communication will be managed during a crisis situation. Having a plan for managing communication is vital as this will help to mitigate the risk of reputational damage and assist in returning to business as usual as quickly as possible.
Elements to consider when developing a plan include:
A protocol for media inquiries: During a crisis, you may receive an unprecedented level of media inquiries. It is therefore important that a protocol be put in place for the handling of these.
Selecting a spokesperson: In many cases (depending on the scale and longevity of the crisis) the provision of a written statement or statements to the media may be sufficient. However, it is important to have one nominated spokesperson who will speak to the media if required during a crisis, effectively being the visible face of the company.
Development of a holding statement: The statement can be updated and issued in the event of a crisis, designed to focus on the company’s response, in particular any action the company is taking. Consistent messaging throughout a crisis period is vital; therefore the holding statement can be utilised and re-purposed to provide updates to a range of key stakeholders.
Supporting your team members: A crisis is likely to place your staff in stressful or distressing situations. The plan should set out your commitment to providing information to your team as appropriate, and ensure they are hearing from you directly rather than receiving updates via the media or social media.
External advice and support: Depending on the nature and/or scale of the crisis, it can be highly beneficial to have external support available to assist with managing communication. This may include provision of strategic advice, assistance with dealing with significant volumes of media inquiries, and drafting of statements.
A plan for handling social media: Effectively managing your social media channels will be of great importance during a crisis. Many of the company’s stakeholders will turn to social media for updates on the crisis as well as your response to it.
At its heart, crisis planning involves taking a proactive rather than reactive approach, with effective communication playing a central and critical role.
Get in touch with Seven Patterns to discuss how we can help you develop a clear strategy and put the right plan in place.
About the Author
David Ikin is a highly experienced corporate communications professional with significant experience across the mining, technology, defence and financial services sectors.
Over the course of a career spanning more than 30 years, David’s work has been split between consulting and in-house roles. His most recent project involved leading the communication function for a major technology program within one of the largest global mining companies.
David’s passion is for helping companies communicate more effectively with their stakeholders: investors, customers, employees, the media and the broader community.
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