The Crisis Communications Starter Kit
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When it comes to a crisis, you want to keep things simple. Really simple. In a crisis situation there is enough confusion already and unless you have been through countless simulations and trainings, getting your act together to do the basics right is noble enough an aspiration already. So I asked myself, what are the absolute basics when it comes to crisis management?
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Back to basicsI came across a very simple but effective crisis plan developed by Eric Dezenhall, the author of Nail 'Em. In the book, he goes into great detail about the different types of crises and how to respond to them. He's actually relatively skeptical of the classic PR approach of constant, open communications, which makes the book all the more interesting if you work in the industry yourself. At the end of the book, he condenses all this knowledge into 3 questions:
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Crisis preparation
Ideally, you prepare for a crisis by identifying all the scenarios that your company might encounter, then draw up basic response plans accordingly and go through the most likely eventualities through live exercises. Simulations make each team member familiar with their role in a crisis and are really the only way to ensure a decent communicative response when things go wrong.
In reality, not all companies have up-to-date crisis plans and very few go through proper live simulations. However, you should at least cover the bare minimum in crisis preparation:
- Knowing the three questions you will need to answer in any crisis (that goes for the entire team!)
- A crisis contact list, including private phone numbers. A crisis does not take weekends and christmas into account.
- Asking yoursef, at least once, "what constitutes a crisis for our company?" The airline industry knows exacty what a crisis looks like, but it might not be so easy for a small service provider. You need to know when it is time to switch to "crisis mode".
Starter Kit
To make sure you have at least the absolute basics prepared, I have developed a three-sheet starter kit for crisis situations. I intentionally kept them as plain as possible, with a clear and easily readable font. Next to the three questions and crisis contacts it also contains a log sheet to record events and inquires over the course of the crisis. This helps you get an overview of the situation while at the same provides a record of events for later evaluation and review. The log sheet is often forgotten but an absolute must-have in a crisis.
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| Three questions | Crisis contact sheet |
Log sheet |
Downoads
Next Steps
The most common mistake is simply not to prepare for a crisis at all: no crisis contacts, no plan, and not recognizing a crisis for what it is once it hits you. This basic plan should cover these areas at least. In second place is the preparation for a crisis on paper only. You need to run simulations in order to really safeguard yourselves.
Finally, there is much more to a crisis than issuing a simple statement. You need to inform your employees at the right time (ideally before the media), coordinate with your legal team and use the appropriate language and tone for a crisis response (e.g. demonstrating honesty and compassion). Take the time to familiarize yourself with the art of crisis management. Apart from books on the subject, there are blogs that specialize in crisis comms. For example, Brad Philips from Mr. Media Training publishes tips on how to talk to the media and the public in times of crisis. His blog includes real-life examples such as the response of San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane and Fire Chief Dennis Haag after a gas pipeline exploded in the area and great posts like Seven Rules to Remember when a Crisis Strikes. Jim Lukaszewski's Crisis Guru Blog was dormant for a while, but seems to have been revided this March and there are plenty of great tips to be found in the archive as well.
