Posts RSSCrisis Communications is an important consideration for all organizations. It is also the focus of the IABC/DC Metro February chapter meeting. We have invited Donald Goldberg, Partner at Bluetext to join us for a Q&A post about crisis communications.
IABC/DC Metro: What is the biggest communications mistake companies/groups make in dealing with a crisis?
Don: There’s no shortage to the mistakes that I see companies making every time there’s a crisis. First and foremost, as the recent Susan G. Komen case clearly demonstrates, is not having a process in place that analyzes key decisions ahead of time through the filter of a communications perspective. Too often, business leaders make a business decision that gets blessed by the lawyers, but no one is included who can raise red flags on how it will be received by customers or other key audiences. In many cases that I’ve been involved with, the communications team isn’t even included in the decision-making process until too late. The second mistake is not arming their front-line people with talking points and key arguments before-hand. It’s not just the head of an organization or the spokesperson who has to defend a company in a crisis—it’s the business leaders who have clients and employees asking questions. A manager’s “Tool Box” with key messages, Q&As, and other materials is essential.
IABC/DC Metro: How quickly should companies react when a crisis occurs?
Don: This is a very difficult question, and one that often trips up even the most sophisticated companies. One of the hardest decisions to make early on is whether the situation actually has reached the level of a communications crisis. We have a strict rule that says, “First, do no harm.” It can easily be the case that an issue would not receive any public attention except for the fact that the company elevated it to that level by responding too quickly, for example, to an obscure blog posting that would otherwise never get any traction. Having said that, once it is clear that a crisis is imminent, I believe it is essential to address the issue as quickly as possible so that the company and not its adversaries is controlling the message (as best it can).
IABC/DC Metro: What digital communications channel would you use first in a crisis, why?
Don: I think this depends on the company, and how it best communicates with its key audiences. For many consumer companies, Twitter and Facebook are the way to respond, because unlike a press release that relies on the filters of reporters and editors to interpret, these social media properties are immediate and are a direct avenue to customers. But for many B-to-B and B-to-G companies, especially in the Washington region, a blog posting or even an old-fashioned letter to key audiences (delivered via e-mail) can frame the situation better than the very short postings that Twitter allows. Companies should not suddenly turn on a Twitter account that it hasn’t used just because it’s in a crisis—they should stick to platforms that they are comfortable with and that they have been using.
IABC/DC Metro: In general, what internal positions and policies have you found to be the biggest obstacle when dealing with a crisis?
Don: The biggest mistake I see routinely is companies and organizations going public with statements that have not been well-thought out for the end game—which is to get the crisis behind it as quickly as possible. It is very important to play the situation out through half-dozen or more chess moves, and not just be reactive to the immediate noise. In the midst of a crisis, the company quite frequently doesn’t yet know all of the facts, and public statements need to acknowledge that. You never want to draw a line in the sand that you later have to walk back from because new information comes out contradicting the position. The other mistake, which is a difficult one, is not knowing when to cut-and-run, but instead hanging on to an untenable position for too long. Penn State did this in the Paterno scandal, and Susan G. Komen did this last week in the Planned Parenthood fiasco. There is no benefit for taking a beating and then folding to the pressure. If you’re going to cave, cave early to minimize the damage.
IABC/DC Metro: Any other insights or wisdom you would like to share?
Don: Most important is not to take crisis planning for granted. It is far too easy to put this off, or not get executive buy-in with pre-planning. Bring in a specialist who has been through these situations many times (shameless plug for folks like myself), because a crisis is not something that most communications people have experienced.
Don Goldberg, is a Partner at Bluetext with more than 30 years of experience as a communications professional in Washington as an award-winning journalist, senior Congressional staffer and senior member of President Clinton’s communication steam. He is a frequent commentator on Fox News and CNN, and a guest speaker on crisis communications, including annual addresses to the Harvard Business School (HBS) through its Outstanding Speakers Series.
