Crisis Communications
Daniel in the Lion’s Den by Sir Peter Paul Rubens c. 1614/1616 National Gallery of Art - Washington, DC
With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all seen a variety of government press briefings and organizational announcements regarding responses to the presented risks; some of them informative and some frustrating. In the graduate-level Project Management courses I taught for many years, I always thought that it was important to include a lecture on crisis communications. Here are some of the main points from those lectures that might be helpful in these times.
As soon as a crisis occurs, a brief statement that can be read or posted expressing genuine empathy for the concerns of stakeholders is essential. They will want answers to questions dealing with who, what, when, where, why, and how. Before you communicate, follow the Boy Scout Motto and “Be Prepared”. It is wise to limit crisis communications to what you know now rather than speculating about the past or future.
It is best to communicate with one voice. Attempt to have a single spokesperson.
Crisis communications should be short and frequent. An initial statement might be something like: “The organization is responding to (briefly and factually describe the situation). We have trained and experienced people handling the matter. Our 1st priority is the continued safety of our stakeholders. We are accessing the situation and gathering facts. As soon as more details become available, we will provide an update.” The beginning of a crisis can be the easiest to handle because you don’t have to have all of the answers; however, as the situation matures, expect the questions to get tougher.
Maintain control. It is OK to terminate an interview when all of the intended information has been provided. Maintaining control also means proactively informing stakeholders with your story before they learn about the matter from other sources. Keep communications simple. Use short sound bites. Be careful with the choice of descriptive words.
Deliver Key Points. Before an interview, decide on at least three points (key messages) to make during the interview. Keep in mind that interviewers will have their own agendas as well. Make your points early and often in the interview because you don’t know when the interview will end unless it’s your own press conference. Bridge to the positive. In response to a negative question, bridge to one of the points you planned to make or to a positive aspect of the question asked.
Respond to questions strategically. Develop and review an internal Q&A document with answers to potential questions in advance of an interview. Don’t speculate or guess if you don’t know the answer to a question – just ask if you can get back to the interviewer with an answer later. Listen well before you respond.
Your attitude and demeanor are important. Think carefully about your appearance (clothing, posture, smile, etc.).
Always tell the truth.
Regarding the COVID-19 crisis, please heed the warnings of government leaders and health care professionals to contain and prevent its spread. Act with charitable prudence and remember that the Lord is in control and worthy of our trust. May His peace be upon you all in the days ahead.
