The topic of crisis management, and particularly communication during a crisis, is an essential discussion that many organizations often overlook. It’s easy to think your organization will never face an emergency situation, and there are always other priorities that make it challenging to prepare for a crisis.
Recently Adventist Risk Management, Inc. (ARM) partnered with Kurth Lampe Worldwide to provide a series of webinars on crisis communication. Based in Chicago, Kurth Lampe is an issues management and communication strategy firm with decades of experience working with politicians, celebrities, and major corporations.If you missed the webinars, they are still available on our website, but this article will give you an overview of what they covered.
An Issue vs. A Crisis
Let’s start by comparing the difference between an issue and a crisis. A crisis is a serious threat that requires an immediate response. They are often unpredictable, like when a fire breaks out. An issue, on the other hand, is something that can be easily identified in advance. Issues build slowly over time, but they can typically be addressed before they boil over into a crisis.With all this in mind, what steps can take you to deal with issues that arise and be better prepared to face a crisis if one were to hit your church, school, or ministry?
Planning for a Crisis
As the saying goes, “you never have a second chance to make a first impression.” This is why building a strong reputation in your community is so important. Make sure people are familiar with your ministry because of the positive impact you have on the community. When a crisis arises, it’s not the crisis that defines your organization.The more people understand about your church or school, the more context they will have when they see your name connected to a crisis.
In addition to building a strong reputation, there are things you must do internally to prepare for a crisis. Remember, you are part of something larger than your local church or school. You are part of the sisterhood of churches that comprise a conference. Your crisis management team should include knowledge of key personnel at the conference as they can bring in essential expertise and resources. These can consist of leadership, legal, and risk management. Be aware that conference or union involvement may depend on the scale of the crisis, but involving your conference in the consultation will be of great value no matter the situation.
Determining who will serve as spokesperson depends on the nature of the emergency. You should identify some individuals who may be well-suited to the task should it arise at the local and conference level. It is often tempting for top leadership to take on this role because they are used to speaking publicly and serving as the face of the organization. Consider this choice carefully if this is the right role as their face may become permanently associated with this crisis.
Your local team must regularly meet to plan and even practice their crisis response. Team members should be committed to the mission of your church or school and have a deep understanding the organization’s functions and mission.
When they meet, the crisis management team should identify and discuss issues that need to be dealt with to avoid a crisis. They should also consider several potential crisis scenarios and build an action plan around each one of those scenarios. While a crisis won’t fit nicely into your “playbook,” in the heat of an emergency, it’s much easier to adapt your response than it is to create an entire plan on the fly.
In addition to your crisis team, you also want to create two lists of contacts you may need in a crisis. The first is a list of constituents that you may need to communicate with, including staff, parents, or church members. The second list should have essential people in your local community, including law enforcement, journalists, and local representatives. Keep a hard copy of this list in your crisis management notebook in case you lose power or the internet.
When a Crisis Occurs
What happens in the first 60 minutes of a crisis can ultimately determine how well the organization will weather it. It can also have an impact on how the media portrays your church or school. With that in mind, the first thing to do is take a deep breath and say a prayer. Now, it’s time to get to work!Notify your conference to help coordinate additional resources such as communication, legal representation, and to contact Adventist Risk Management, when necessary. Mobilize your crisis management team as soon as possible and share with them the facts you have so far.
Crises vary in nature, some will require discretion, some will require you to let the authorities conduct their investigation. For some, however, it will be critical to collect as much information as possible. Try to talk to everyone involved and find out what they know, not what they think. Facts, not assumptions, are critical. You should also monitor local news and social media accounts to see what is being reported.
Begin preparing your initial statement by defining your message. Your message is more than just the facts. It should convey that your organization has control of the situation and portrays confidence in your ability to respond appropriately. Develop talking points that always underscore those two principles while summarizing the facts.
Use your talking points and draft a single statement of 3 – 5 sentences to be used with all audiences. More than one official comment will become confusing. Your statement should include the following elements:
- Specifically acknowledge what happened, but without going into detail.
- Describe the actions being taken at this time, including what public safety organizations you are working with.
- Indicate when you expect to have more information available and who they should contact if they have additional questions.
Working With the Media
Remember, not every situation requires you to involve the media. But if they show up on your property with a news crew, it’s best to know how to effectively deal with the press.If reporters call for comment, ask for their name, media outlet, contact information, and what they would like to talk about. Ask about their deadline, so you know when they need a response. Once you have your messaging in place, you can contact them if it is appropriate. Direct all inquiries to the designated spokesperson.
If someone is going to be interviewed on camera or you decide to hold a press conference, select a spokesperson who understands the role. They need to stay calm, be empathetic, and stick to the facts. Rehearse with your spokesperson until they are comfortable with the messaging you have developed and have anticipated any possible question that could be raised.
Remember, just because a particular question is asked, doesn’t mean you have to answer it. Always keep your comments limited to the talking points you have. This will ensure that the media only hears what you want to tell them, rather than tricking you into saying something that will make good headlines.
Social Media in a Crisis
Finally, it’s critical to know how to effectively use social media in a crisis. Used the wrong way, social media can actually make your crisis worse. It’s is advisable to have a social media policy that clearly communicates who can post, when they should post, and how content is approved. You should also understand how each different social media platform works and the audience each platform attracts.It’s necessary to strike the right tone on social media as well. Saying the right things is not enough if you don’t tell them correctly. If you have content that is scheduled to post, you should consider turning that off immediately. You do not want tone-deaf messaging taking place in the middle of your crisis.
In Conclusion
While you can never be fully prepared to face a crisis and the needed communication, laying the groundwork now can pay off considerably when the clock starts ticking. To go deeper into all of these topics, you can watch the videos from our crisis communication webinar series.Prsa.org has many webinars and online courses on reputation and crisis communication.
Image Credits: iStock/microgreen
