Crisis Comms in a Hyperconnected World

It's not a question of if the captain of a ship will face a storm.

Everyone around the captain can see, sense the storm.

We will watch as they maneuver crisis in real time.

It’s inconceivable for the captain to pretend nothing is happening, declare in the midst of massive waves that it's actually a sunny day, or to hide in quarters while weather reports fly around Twitter.

It's laughable to imagine we can get away with a poor response to crisis.

So let's get real.

You don't want to share about the mess, but your way through is drastically more successful by embracing the tough moment.

You are captain.

We rely on your communication, preparation, focus, and inspiration.

Even as the wind howls, and we shiver.?

Or, you could let (insert powerful, vocal, financially incentivized, alarmist, or angry audience) create the narrative for you.

Crisis comms in a hyperconnected world

In today's day and age of social media and hyperconnected world, your message will get out - either by you, or someone else - and that someone will share and scare with what should have been your message.

Now, you GET to deploy all thought power of your audience and stakeholders to help you save the day as you get in front of the message.

YOUR OBJECTIVE is to, at best, steer the storm, or steer the ship through the storm. Nothing less.

The old crisis comms model versus the new way of doing:

Bury the Message v. Get Ahead of the Message

STOP thinking that people will do anything but guess wrong, extrapolate the worst framing - this is what will ALWAYS happen in a vacuum?of leadership. Footnotes are no place for crucial news and information.

START being the first to speak, seeking to serve, steering through the present challenges - before you have all the answers.?

Your Audience as Enemy v. Partner

STOP treating your audience like the enemy you seek to fool, hide from, avoid. You feel like they are only in it for themselves, so you are too.?You have unfocused, unclear, defensive responses.

START to leverage the power and willingness of your customers, stakeholders, employees, senior team to come alongside you in the midst of the storm. Reveal the challenges to the knowledgeable folks and deploy them to work with you to approach this challenge together, and support you as you find a fix. Broaden your focus to lead through your problem and the societal challenge?simultaneously. You need a common enemy - or the enemy becomes YOU.?

Talking to Everybody v. Your Most Crucial Audience

STOP trying to speak to everyone. You'll lose the power of your message in a mess of data and defensiveness.

START by focusing on who you must connect with, what you want them to know, what you must achieve.

2023 crisis comms starter, with example messaging:

Here's a simplified example for illustrating the power of the new ways of approaching a business challenge and resulting crisis comms.

Thesis statement of your objective:

We want to inspire those around us to help us keep the doors open.

Actions:

Get key people in face to face meetings

Develop messaging inspiring in-the-moment leadership toward immediate stopping of harm and collective action toward the betterment of all affected

What your messaging should to achieve:

Get ahead of the message. Remember - you don't want (insert powerful, vocal, financially incentivized, alarmist, or angry audience) to do it for you.

Build bridges to real solutions.

Speak to the audience that matters most.?Address their pain points in your actions and message.

Plain, clear language - don't bury specifics in meaningless jargon, or you'll lose trust.

Example framework:

• "We need to share that this _____ is happening.?
• You (key audience you must reach; secondary key audience) are our focus.
• We believe that a better way through this challenge is entirely possible, and have the best minds in the world working on it.
• Before while we are working on solutions and before we jump to just one fix, we want to explore _____ with you, because this involves you and what you worked so hard to build.
• This problem _____ that affects you many of us was caused by (high level or new common enemy that changed everything in these unprecedented times).
• We sincerely apologize for our part, and will do all we can to restore faith.
• What we anticipate doing to address (immediate problem) is (possible solution) and we will share how that solution or another develops.
• But this challenge isn't just this moment. It's systemic - If we don't do anything beyond a (possible solution) to bandage this problem, there will be effects beyond right now,?from Wall Street to Main Street.
• We have to marshall the best of who we are to redesign a system that won't harm (primary market, stakeholder groups, others affected).
• You are the primary focus of everything happening and every solution that will be designed. We will come back to you with a plan.
• You have supported us over many years, through (problem) and (example of successes). We (leadership) will not let you down."

Think through the business and resulting comms messes you've seen recently.

Reflect on how you would have wished to be communicated with, instead of what happened. (LastPass, you make it more confusing, distressing, and trust you less with every email you send.)

And I'll stop there and release you, kind reader, to rethink your entire approach to problem-solving before you lose the valuable trust we have in you.

Because company, while beloved, YOU ARE REPLACEABLE.