A crisis doesn’t have to be defined as one by those
outside your organization to qualify as one. If you
think your business and your reputation are in danger,
then its time to act, whether or not the problem is
widely known or acknowledged by your employees, your
customers or the media.
Crises represent turning points for business health and
reputation, often leaving both in tatters. If handled
well though, a crisis response can actually enhance
reputation and spur some needed dialogue and change.
How does a business prepare for crisis, both for the
knowable and the unforeseen events that can seriously
impact its reputation and bottom line? What should
customers, employees, investors and the general public
expect from a business when a crisis hits?
At minimum, clear and immediate communication is an
antidote. If stakeholders know you’re aware there’s a
problem, that may be enough in the short run to maintain
enough goodwill until the problem is fixed or at least
dealt with. But as a former reporter, I know it’s far
easier to find examples of poor crisis communications
response than it is to find those who learn from others
high-profile mistakes.
A recent case in point: former presidential candidate
John Edwards. Edwards recently admitted to an
extra-marital affair during the recent campaign, an
admission made worse by the highly-publicized cancer
battle his wife is waging. His protracted dodge of the
rumors and late confirmation didn’t just wreck the
Senator’s reputation for integrity and honesty with his
supporters.
His ill-advised attempts to explain the affair (ranging
from the ego-building attention he had received, to a
denial the child produced was his, to the puzzling note
that his wife was had been in “remission” when the
affair took place), will all likely make a political
comeback near impossible.
Unfortunately, the hope the crisis will simply go away
if questions are avoided is a common one. That tactic
rarely achieves anything but allowing the court of
public opinion to reach a firm verdict in the absence of
a full picture of what happened and why.
A lack of information fuels anxiety rather than diffuses
it.
1) Tell what you know when you know it.
Investigations and study take time, but time is not on
your side in a crisis. Even though there are things you
can’t say or don’t know, tell what you know when you
know it. If you don’t, you invite speculation and a void
that will be filled by others who may not know the full
picture.
2) Decide what you’re going to say and who is going to
say it.
What you say and who you select to say it speaks volumes
about your business’ ability to handle the crisis. While
the facts of what happened are important to get out, so
is the context those facts should be understood by. Seek
to put facts in context, with an eye toward the bigger
picture of what it means, especially for those harmed in
any way by events. This will give your key stakeholders
an understanding of the crisis from your perspective. Be
careful to limit the number of people speaking for the
company so you can be sure of what’s being said and to
whom.
3) Tell the truth.
Messaging isn’t “spin”. Your key stakeholders have got
to know they can count on you to tell the truth, no
matter how difficult that truth is. Even if you are not
at liberty to tell all, or you simply do not know all
the facts, make sure what you do say is reliable and
trustworthy.
4) Acknowledge the harm.
It’s important to acknowledge people’s anger or
frustration, even when not accepting blame for
wrongdoing. Avoid the temptation to minimize objections
and complaints. Let people have some kind of forum to be
heard, and let them know you’re listening.
5) Make sure you’re reaching your audience.
The media has never been as diverse and as diffused as
it is now. That means it’s harder than ever for
businesses to reach their stakeholders through one
central means of communication. Make sure you’ve decided
on the myriad ways you’ll reach your target audience
well in advance of a crisis. That means well thought out
media lists, as well as Web sites, and if resources
allow, coordinated advertising and marketing campaigns.
Don’t neglect your own company’s Web site as a vital
resource for customers and the media. Monitor what’s
being said and written about you, so that you can choose
how and when to respond.
6) Don’t over or under-react.
There will very likely be factors beyond your control
that impact your ability to handle the crisis. Don’t
promise solutions you may not be able to deliver. At the
same time, make sure to vet your proposed solutions so
that you’re response isn’t viewed as too little, too
late.
Source: Aileen Pincus link