There are various kinds of difficult news, such as disappointing earnings, the sudden departure of a respected executive, layoffs, a fire at a manufacturing plant resulting in six deaths, or relocating the company’s headquarters. These should be communicated clearly and all at once to avoid mishandling. The most effective approach is to release all bad news simultaneously rather than gradually. Along with the news, provide a thoughtful plan on how management will address the issues. Sharing information promptly helps the company move past the crisis phase more quickly. Sometimes, however, delivering all difficult news at once isn’t possible, and you might receive it in pieces. In such cases, inform your audience that the information is incomplete and will be updated. As more details become available, update the message accordingly. When a crisis ends, it doesn’t have to damage the organization’s reputation. Companies often prefer to move past the incident, but they can also use it as an opportunity for positive PR by sharing what they learned and how it prompted change.
Have a plan for how you will address the situations mentioned above. Companies with a crisis plan in place consistently performed better than those without one. It’s crucial for an organization to establish its values or communication philosophy before a crisis occurs. The organization must decide how it will present information. For instance, smart organizations have communication values that guide spokespeople to avoid making things worse by speculating, spreading false information, claiming everything is fine when it’s not, or raising false hopes. Depending on the situation, the company may need to communicate with government agencies, shareholders, customers, employees, the local community, and suppliers. Identifying who needs to be reached and under what circumstances should be part of the crisis planning process.
One of the key features of any crisis situation is the breakdown of communication. My definition of crisis communications is the communication that occurs before, during, and after a crisis. When I say crisis communications, I also mean action. Actions speak louder than words. In fact, they shout during a crisis and become highly symbolic. You must be proactive, not just reactive. During a crisis, actions will represent you. What you do is much more important than what you say. However, actions are not always the best strategy during a crisis. They are important, but should not be premature or self-serving. You can explain what’s being done to reduce the risk. You can also identify alternatives to the source of the risk and the risks linked to those alternatives. Furthermore, you can find ways for people to help eliminate the risk. In a crisis, the spokesperson’s role has two parts: communicate the organization’s human side and to provide useful, detailed, and timely information continuously.
Usually, the higher the perceived public risk, the greater the sense of outrage and the lower the trust. When addressing public outrage, focus on the human factors of the risk and try to reassure people. Your first priority is empathy. Rule number one: communicate immediately. No matter where you are, your concern for lives, property, and rescue efforts should come first. You must address the emotions. This is essential. Companies that don’t handle emotions receive bad publicity during a crisis. The media understands they can’t be totally objective or emotionless during a crisis, and this emotional input makes the story more compelling.
The secret to delivering your information empathetically involves several steps. First, you show how you personally and your organization have a stake in the issue. You don’t want to be seen as distant. Then, you answer the questions honestly and avoid dodging the issues on the public’s mind. This demonstrates that you are sensitive to what is bothering people. This approach works best if the organization has anticipated the types of questions that might come up during various kinds of crises. You present any information that supports your answers, including testimonials, statistics, research findings, and endorsements. With this, you identify your key message and consistently repeat it. Your message might be that public and employee safety is a priority for you. This message must be reinforced across all communications during the crisis. The final step is looking toward the future.
