Are you ready for a crisis?
On a fairly regular basis, I get a telephone call from a client - or sometimes out of the blue - to provide advice on how to manage a particular issue that has come up. It’s often only at the moment of crisis that we recognise the importance of having a plan in place.
Crisis communications training and scenario exercises are popular for many - they’re exhilarating and can be thought-provoking, even fun. My first rule is to prepare well with a solid plan to match your needs. Managing through a crisis or even day to day issues, can be straightforward if you’re level headed and importantly, have a decent plan to fall back on.
1) Get advice on your plan
All the scenario training in the world will never match the crisis you’ll one day encounter. Your best investment is to review your plan with someone who has worked through similar experiences. If you don’t have a plan, get one, bringing in expertise. It needn’t be expensive. We would always prepare a plan that reflects your budget. Find out more.
2) It happens on social first
All of the crises and issues I’ve worked through have emerged on social media. You hear about it first from someone who has called you out or shared their experience with their network. Of course, this is also the point at which the rest of the world has the opportunity to hear all about it. Make sure you’re monitoring well and your team is in a position to react quickly.
3) The final say
Getting a statement approved quickly is crucial. Be strict about the internal timeframe to get your statement out and insist on a tight approval circle. Be clear on who gives the final sign off. Remember, you can always add to your statement and more than likely you’ll be dealing with an unfolding situation so get in early to acknowledge the situation, adding advice and reaction as you can.
4) How does this feel?
Think about what you want your audience to do as you prepare messages but also consider the tone, how you want them to feel about your organisation and your brand. Legally you might not be able to say too much, but pause to think about how others might respond to what you’re saying and find the right words to acknowledge this.
5) All under control
Perhaps you’ve got the media statement out and it is starting to feel a bit calmer, but this is not the time to relax. Keep asking questions, finding out more and put together a Q&A that gives you the confidence to handle anything that might happen next. Issues management is all about anticipating and preparing for the worst.
Filigree can help you put together a crisis communications manual - a step-by-step guide on what your team should do if the worst happens. We can help you draw up a risk register to help your Executive to understand the most significant reputational risks and how to avoid them. We can support you to get to a good place by testing your messaging and preparing an honest and robust Q&A.
Sam has extensive experience in crisis communications as she led a team through incidents and high profile issues at Gatwick Airport. Filigree has supported several charities with preparation of crisis communications strategies, risk assessments and reactive messaging templates