Crisis Communication

Communicate, communicate, communicate... it's one of the most important things to do in any crisis situation - with staff, with the public, with the media and with any other stakeholders. Communications is one area where a lot of organizations fail when they test their plans. This week's articles can help change that "fail" to a "pass."

It's been said that everyone's IQ drops in a crisis... here are some rules that can help minimize this problem. (Item #1)   Here's an explanation of how your crisis communication plan can work to protect your organization. (Item #2)   Branding experts give their best tips on how to handle public outrage resulting from a crisis. (Item #3)  

There's no question that emotions run high in a crisis; here's how to handle yours and everyone else's. (Item #4)   In today's 24-hour news cycle, you have to be prepared ahead of time to deal with a crisis. (Item #5)   It's no overstatement to say that communicating risk to public audiences can seem like a tricky business. (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Seven Rules to Remember When a Crisis Strikes

You have a crisis communications plan in place; you're ready for the unexpected. But then the crisis strikes. Your adrenaline surges. Your boss is suddenly irrational, choosing to abandon your well-conceived plan and just "wing it." Print this article and hang it on your bulletin board. When a crisis strikes, take 30 seconds to scan this list to remind yourself - and your freaked-out boss - about the seven larger truths of a crisis.
http://www.mrmediatraining.com/index.php/2011/01/25/seven-rules-to-remember-when-a-crisis-strikes/

2. How Crisis Communication Plans Work

You work hard to portray your organization in the best possible light. But, all that careful image crafting can be destroyed by one poorly handled crisis. A "crisis," in public relations terms, is any event that draws intense, negative media coverage and interferes with normal business activity. Crises can cost organizations millions of dollars to repair or can potentially put them out of business for good.
http://money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/how-crisis-communication-plans-work.htm

3. The Ultimate Crisis-Communications Checklist:
    6 Steps to Master Your Disaster

Whether you're digging your way out of a negative PR avalanche or simply need to scrub a less-than-squeaky-clean outburst, here are tips from branding experts on how to handle public outrage with grace and style.
http://www.fastcompany.com/1814399/your-ultimate-crisis-communications-checklist-six-points-to-master-for-disaster

4. Coping with the Emotional Side of the Crisis

From panic to fear to depression and other emotions, a crisis can all result in a crisis. How you talk about it and what you say are the keys to keeping things sane. Especially in a crisis, leaders should show their humanity and the fact they can bear what's happening; this helps everyone else to do the same.
http://www.psandman.com/handouts/AIHA/page3.pdf

5. Hit by the Headlines:
    communicating with the media in a time of crisis

Today's news cycle now moves at warp speed with the proliferation of blogs and social networks, mobile communications, and the rise of 24 hour cable news channels. Now, it is more crucial than ever before to plan for crises in advance and be ready to respond swiftly and forcefully to contain potentially negative stories.
http://www.theglobalmediacentre.com/modules/media_crisis_communication
/planning_crisis_communication

6. Communicating complex risks

Chris Woodcock from Razor PR provides some best-practice advice for those tasked with communicating food-related risks to an increasingly risk conscious public. Although aimed at the food and drink industry, this article provides useful general advice on crisis communications.
http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0432.htm