In the perception of more than a few people, crisis communications is the art of twisting or hiding the truth, aka ‘spin’. Shows like scandal have done much to promote that narrative, but so have harmful actions by some PR professionals, like in the recent Lively/Baldoni debacle. But in the same way that lawyers (who also get their share of negative preconceptions) are motivated by a range of values, professionals in the crisis management space are too. Thus, it’s important to level-set by understanding what crisis communication is at its core.
Simply put, crisis communication is about navigating threats and adversity through information and communication. It’s not solely about protecting the organization or individual, but also about protecting and enabling continuity for employees, partners, customers and other internal and external stakeholders. Narratives easily and often spiral out of control in today’s news cycle, and bad actors are increasingly able to maliciously concoct and spread false narratives. Just as people seek legal support when navigating legal challenges, many seek crisis PR support to navigate these reputational challenges.
Driven by a desire for truth and fairness, the primary goal of a crisis manager should be to advocate for others in tough times by providing needed context to audiences and making key facts plainly and readily accessible. False narratives can irreparably damage reputations, finances, relationships, and mental wellbeing. And since false claims aren’t confined to the walls of a law court, the fact is that just as lawyers are needed to advocate for just legal outcomes, crisis managers are needed to advocate for fair reputational outcomes.
And while not every client will be a victim of a cyber attack, disinformation, defamation, or discrimination, crisis managers can also encourage them to openly acknowledge mistakes and take action to remediate them. Sometimes, that’s about encouraging a change in leadership structures, policies and processes within an organization.
Here are just some results of the crisis management work I’ve been involved with:
- harmful and defective products recalled quickly and with care to restore consumer trust.
- data breaches communicated quickly with affected individuals to limit damage and reassure stakeholders.
- corporations implement socially responsible commitments and policy improvements (e.g. safety and security measures, improvements to labor practices, environmental and social commitments, etc.)
- brands and individuals effectively defend against defamatory attacks and disinformation campaigns, ending boycotts and resuming negotiations.
- litigation related to discrimination and illegal labor practices receive heightened attention in the media and among stakeholders, facilitating advocacy and outcomes in favor of plaintiffs.
- school superintendents, emergency responders, and local government officials build/rebuild trust and are able to effectively spread life-saving information before, during and after natural disasters, accidents, and public health crises.
In conclusion, crisis communication is about providing steady and calm counsel to help people navigate potentially devastating situations, and if you make it your mission, it can be about making sure truth and fairness prevail.
CONTROL, by Fiayo. 