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Crisis Communications: How to Manage Them Effectively

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  6. Crisis Communications: How to Manage Them Effectively

published February 25, 2008

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( 3 votes, average: 3.8 out of 5)
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The most challenging part of any crisis, whether it is natural or man-made, is the reaction of management. Not only do they have to be prepared to respond quickly, but they also must respond with the right response. Failure to do so will only lead to spin, not communication, which in turn doesn't mitigate damages but rather causes embarrassment, humiliation, prolonged visibility, and, often, unnecessary litigation for the business.

Crises can range from product recalls to accidents in mines to food contamination to passengers' movement on airlines restricted during poor weather to hackers stealing credit card information to environmental breaches to class action lawsuits to sexual harassment to activisms that affect commerce every day throughout the world. More often than not, crises occur when least expected. The Institute of Crisis Management defines a crisis as "any problem or disruption that triggers negative stakeholder reactions that could impact the organization's financial strength and ability to do what it does."


Executives understand that a solid, strong company reputation is tied to bottom-line earnings. Businesses with good reputations are seen as providing their customers with more value and therefore are able to charge premium prices for their products and services. Anything that diminishes this value is of consequence.

Frequently, attorneys, whether they are inside or external counsel, find themselves in the thick of the crisis, uniquely situated between management and external counsel and/or other stakeholders with strong interests and involvement in the crisis. By understanding the role of the media, learning how to work effectively with the press, and advising clients of the importance of having some sort of crisis plan in place, law firms and attorneys are able to provide additional value to their clients and, importantly, set themselves apart from their competition.

Having a crisis communication plan where both sides — attorneys and public relations firms and/or consultants — not only work cohesively together but understand their respective roles is imperative when clients'/organizations' reputations are at stake. Oftentimes, regardless of the legal implications of the crisis, perceptions generated with the public can be helpful or detrimental to the client's economic health.

When no plan is in place and a crisis occurs, improvising and flying by the seat of one's trousers will not minimize damage but rather increase it. A plan that identifies clearly who is responsible for which tasks will impose order, structure, and direction rather than having to put out firestorms without having any strategy in place.

Crisis communication plans, in their most basic form, are templates. They provide organizational frameworks of who will be responsible for which specific task, when and if a crisis should occur. Without a plan, the left hand won't know what the right hand is doing, particularly when the press is knocking on your door.

Your plan should outline in detail operational procedures. This includes contact systems, a point person who is coordinating with the press and spokesperson (usually the primary attorney, depending on the nature of the crisis), a backup spokesperson, and reporters who cover the beat. It should also include how and what to communicate to any other organization, stakeholder, or community that has a specific interest in and is impacted by the crisis.

It's important to note that these templates must be fluid. Each crisis will be different with different stakeholders, so adjustments to the plans will be necessary as these are living organisms. However, all of the plans, at their very basic level, will need the following:
  1. Determine who is part of the crisis communication management team. This will include all key individuals and the roles assigned to them. All of the individuals must have the contact details of all of the team members.
     
  2. Designate a spokesperson with the press. This is the individual who will be the face of the organization to the public. Typically there is a fair amount of dialogue between attorneys and spokespeople. The spokesperson usually has had a fair amount of media training or comes from a journalism background.
     
  3. Assign an individual or a public relations agency to be responsible for all needs and queries of the press. This person's or agency's job is to ensure that all press requests are handled in a timely manner.
     
  4. The legal counsel and spokesperson should have a current media list of reporters who cover your client's beat.
     
  5. Maintain a media log. This should have the details of all press that has contacted the organization, what information was sent, and when they are expected to get back to you. If there is more than one individual on the coordination team, be clear on which tasks were delegated to whom.
     
  6. The public relations agency should make sure the spokesperson or any other individual assigned to that role does not talk to external sources until he or she has and understands all of the facts. Otherwise, mistakes will be made, which in turn create negative perceptions.
     
  7. Communicate key messages for all of your audiences in a consistent manner, whether they are within the organization or external audiences. The messages must address questions and concerns in language that different stakeholders understand. The tendency is to be objective and use legal language; both of these will work to your disadvantage. The public wants to hear and sense that you understand the gravity and depth of the circumstances.
     
  8. Depending on how long the crisis lasts, the public relations agency/consultants should coordinate a regular timetable to meet with reporters, keeping them abreast of any recent developments.
     
  9. Maintaining several backup plans, key contact personnel, and other details relating to the particular crisis is a must.
     
  10. Finally, all crisis circumstances, whether they are business related or natural disasters, need a human face. This means that regardless of how well prepared the organization/client is, it is critical to connect and relate to all of the key stakeholders impacted by the situation.

A good crisis communication plan helps to mitigate and reduce the potential for damage. It is a blueprint for when unexpected events and disasters strike, providing structure for the flow of important information to be communicated to all key players. Benjamin Franklin summed it up very well: "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."

About the Author

Paramjit L. Mahli of the Sun Communications Group is a former journalist who has worked with international news organizations including CNN Business News and now helps small to mid-sized law firms get in front of their target markets effectively, efficiently, and expeditiously. Her job is to let lawyers do what they do best — practice law — while she takes care of all of their public relations.
  1. Legal Jobs
  2. Legal Articles
  3. Attorney
  4. Attorney Career Advice
  5. Overcoming Obstacles
  6. Crisis Communications: How to Manage Them Effectively

published February 25, 2008

( 3 votes, average: 3.8 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

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