Everyone dreads it, closes their eyes slightly and shudders at the thought. Many people engage in mental avoidance when the possibility of finding themselves in a crisis situation is raised, so few are prepared when it finally happens.
Yet the best way to avoid a crisis, like a war, is to prepare for it well. Here is a practical guide to ensure your company or organization is ready to face one.
Since people are at the heart of communications (and this is not just a slogan, it is a mantra for us), it is essential to place them at the centre of good crisis planning.
1. Identify the Key Players
Every organization has its own approval chain. It is therefore necessary to know who the key players will be when a crisis situation arises. The first hours of a crisis are decisive for what follows, and having quick access to the people who will make decisions on the direction to take is essential.
2. Let’s Talk About Timing
Let’s say it again: the first hours are crucial. We all know that things left unaddressed only get worse. A crisis is no exception. It is therefore important that a primary spokesperson be quickly identified and that people with questions for your organization receive answers, even if those answers are incomplete at certain stages. It is important to maintain communication, both internally and externally, so that the message remains controlled and clear, in order to preserve the trust of the audiences watching what is happening.
3. Concision. Please, Concision
How many times have we read a convoluted spokesperson statement that says nothing, or heard a (far too) lengthy five-minute declaration delivered without a pause for breath, out of fear of being cut off? The result: doubt and confusion are sown. Clarity, concision and precision are the key words to remember here. If you practice your key messages with a colleague not directly involved in the file, or with a friend who is not a specialist in your field, and they do not understand what you are saying, then you know it is time to shorten and simplify your message.
4. The Right Person at the Right Time
Depending on the severity of the situation, it is important to identify the right spokesperson. Is it someone internal or external? Who should address whom? In what manner? And above all, it is important that the sum of the actions taken be consistent. While it is not mandatory (nor always advisable, depending on the situation) that the exact same words be used every time, it is essential that everyone takes away the same message and that people remain at the heart of every decision throughout the process.
5. The Ultimate Watchword: Calm
Keeping a cool head in a crisis is essential. And let’s be honest: when you work within a company or organization and dedicate most of your weeks to it, it can be difficult not to become emotional when you feel threatened. However, it is imperative to adopt a broader perspective, to remember that every crisis has a beginning and an end, and that what happens during the hours or days a crisis unfolds are pivotal moments for what comes next. And that to navigate it well, you need to place the right people in the right positions. Knowing yourself as an organization, and recognizing your own strengths and weaknesses, are therefore major assets in getting through it.
Fortunately, managing a crisis is not part of the daily routine for every organization (except for communication enthusiasts like the members of the Catapulte team, who you can always count on in this kind of unfortunate situation).
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