What do you do if your response to failure in Strategic Communications is causing more harm than good?

Taking Ownership for the "Oops, We Messed Up" Moment Embrace the "human touch." In today's hyper-connected world, audiences appreciate authenticity. According to a recent study by Sprout Social, 73% of consumers are more likely to do business with a brand they feel is transparent. A genuine apology delivered through the right channels (think video message from the CEO) can go a long way in rebuilding trust. In my experience, acknowledging the human element behind the mistake fosters a sense of connection and shows the audience you're willing to learn and grow.

When your response to failure in Strategic Communications exacerbates the situation, it’s time to reassess. Acknowledge the misstep, learn from it, and pivot. Engage in active listening to understand concerns and address them transparently. Every failure is an opportunity for growth. It’s not about avoiding failure but learning to navigate it effectively.

"Rebooting Your Communication Playbook" Consider the ever-evolving communication landscape. Social media trends shift, and what resonated yesterday might fall flat today. Stay ahead of the curve by incorporating A/B testing for messaging and leveraging data analytics to identify the most impactful channels for reaching your target audience. For example, a recent campaign I worked on saw a significant increase in engagement when we shifted from static images to interactive polls on Instagram Stories. By constantly reevaluating our strategies based on data, we were able to optimize our communication and connect with our audience on a deeper level.

Seek both internal and external feedback is crucial to successfully reflecting on your next step. Internally, find a way to talk to your direct and indirect team about the incident, give them a way to feel empowered to ask hard questions or bring up uncomfortable topics around what went wrong. Allow for and promise a safe space for constructive criticism, accountability and staying solution orientated as a team. See and frame the failure as an opportunity to do better. Externally, find a way to connect with your channel audiences and if relevant directly contact those who were directly voicing that they were affected and take it offline/to email to provide solutions/services.

"From Course Correction to Strategic Innovation" Think outside the box. Sometimes, a complete overhaul of your communication strategy is necessary. Explore emerging technologies like interactive chatbots or influencer marketing to re-engage your audience in fresh and innovative ways. For instance, a client I partnered with saw a major boost in brand awareness after we launched a targeted influencer marketing campaign that resonated perfectly with their Gen Z demographic. By embracing new communication tools and tactics, you can stay relevant and capture the attention of your target audience.

One of the worst things a comm leader can do is not own the narrative. That means spotting what's likely to cause controversy/confusion and meeting it head on. Business decisions that impact employees should be delivered and not hidden - they come out anyway. Don't rely on managers to pass down the news, own it as a business in the same way you'd deliver good news - via town hall, open forum, whatever it is. Otherwise speculation will happen and it will be more damaging in the long run.