February 10, 2012
Defining Moments
A communication aspirant pinged me on chat today. The question was searching: how do you handle a crisis? And, I remembered the legion I’ve known: the accidents, riots, workplace unrest--even the 2004 tsunami that swamped South East Asia. The answer was quick. The first 15 minutes. Get your leadership in a huddle—or on a call. Decide on the nature of the crisis. Is it internal, external or a combination scenario? The first priority is your internal message. Craft a message that covers the available information with the promise to get back with updated information. Decide on your communication channels. Staff the work stations.
The next 15 minutes. Create your message. Run it by your leadership and communication team. Prime your channels of communication. Is it a news flash, intranet update or team meeting? Provide a sounding board. The next 15 minutes. Send it out. Brace for impact. Commit that they will get the latest available information. Ask that all media/external enquiries be directed towards a source of truth (a person or team designated to communicate). If needed, send out a media advisory and be among the first to get the story to the media. Be candid with the facts—promising more information when you get it. Never say ‘no comments’.
The last 15 minutes. Roll out a dynamic script based on your core crisis messages. Set up your hotline, your online bulletin board. Open up the lines. And now, that you told your people. Expect their best, as you quickly deal with the rest of the situation. And, it will be remembered as a time when the entire organization-everyone on the team-pulled together and came out, stronger for it.
That, was my 60 second response.
