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Crisis Communication
A crisis is unpredictable
but not unexpected
- Timothy Combs
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1. Introduction
MTV, Protests over
Beavis & Butthead, 1994
Dayton Hudson, Protests
over Planned Parenthood
grant, 1990
Gerber, Reports of glass
in baby food, 1986
Nike, Mistreatment of
Asian workers, 1997
Jack-in-the-Box, E. coli,
1993
General Dynamics,
Contract fraud, 1985
Perrier, Benzene in its
water, 1990
Snapple, Racism rumors,
1993
Heineken, Glass in beer,
1993
Sizzler, E. coli poisoning,
1993

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2. Overview
Precrisis
Scanning
Assessing situation
Designing Tools &
Systems
Monitoring

Crisis
Detecting
Containing
Recovering

Post - Crisis
Following -up
Shaping
memories
Assessing
effectiveness

Learning


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3. Pre-crisis Planning
Objective - prevent or lessen the negative
outcomes of a crisis and thereby protect
the organization, stakeholders, and/or
industry from damage
$ loss
reputation loss
identity altered
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3a. Scanning
Definition - Looking out for potential
sources of crises
Industry-wide issue analysis
Organization specific issue analysis
Risk assessment (implicit issues
Stakeholder relationships
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Scanning cont.
Issue Sources
Newspapers
Business Magazines
TV News
Trade Journals
Public Opinion Polls
Medical/Science
Journals
On-line (web pages,
newsgroups, etc.
Risk Assessment Sources
Safety/accident records
Ethical climate surveys
Financial audits
Liability exposure
Workers Comp.
Product tampering
Risk audits (70-80%)
Sexual harassment
exposure
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Scanning cont.
Relationship Sources
Shareholder
resolutions
Stakeholder
complaints
Rumors/grapevine at
conventions
Speculative
discussions
Potential Boycotts
Principle: Keep in
continual contact with
key constituents and
listen to what they
are saying.
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3b. Assessing situation
Evaluate issues in two dimensions
likelihood
impact
Evaluate risks with risk mgt. grid
Evaluate relational threats
Power(Leverage)
Legitimacy (Value driven)
Willingness (Desire for action
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Assessing cont.
Relationships Risks
Issues
Scenarios
Rankings
ROTs
History
Intuitions
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Assessing cont.
Historical Types of
Crises
Natural disasters
Malevolence
(kidnapping, product
tampering, terrorism
etc. )
Technical breakdowns
Human breakdowns
Challenges (boycotts,
strikes, lawsuits,
government actions)
Megadamage (oil
spills, radioactivity)
Organ. Misdeeds
Workplace violence
Rumors
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3c. Designing Tools & Systems
Select Crisis Management Team
Select Spokespersons
Develop Crisis Management Plan
Prepare Crisis Communication System
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Selecting the CMT
A cross-functional group who have been
designated to handle ANY crisis
Characteristics of a good CMT
Work together (conflict mgt)
Apply the CMP (manage stress)
Listen to others
Make the right decisions
Communicate proactively
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Selecting the CMT
Typical roles
Legal
Security/safety
PR
Operations
Top Management (CEO)
Victim manager
Make time for training (63% companies do)
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Selecting Spokespersons
Principle - One voice is more important
than one person
Role - Manage the accuracy & consistency
of the messages coming from the
organization
Communication should be guided by the 5
Cs: Concern, clarity, control,
confidence, & competence
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Selecting the CMT
Skills of the spokesperson
Appear pleasant on camera (visual, nonverbal)
Answer questions effectively
Dont argue with reporters
Avoid no comment comment (65% believe no comment = guilty
Challenge incorrect information
Assess assumptions of questions
Legitimize
Present information clearly
Avoid jargon
Provide structure

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Develop Crisis
Management Plan
What is it?
A potential action plan
Used during the crisis
Focuses on how-to
What it is not?
Overly detailed
Rigid

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Components of CMP
Introduction (usually
by CEO)
Rehearsal dates
CMT members
CMT contact sheet
Crisis Assessment
overview piece
short
likely scenarios
Incident report form
(documents what happened)
Proprietary info. (list)
Strategy worksheet
Stakeholder contact
sheet
Crisis control center
(e.g. where, capabilities)
Postcrisis evaluation
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Prepare Crisis
Communication System
Physical setup
Prepare tools
Intranet
Internet
Phones
Prepare team

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4. Managing the Crisis
A. Detecting the crisis
B. Containing the crisis
C. Recovering from the crisis
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4a. Detecting the crisis
Early monitoring
Convince upper management
Assess type & character of crisis
different crises require different strategies

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4b. Containing the crisis
Respond quickly
Acknowledge what you dont know yet
Set fairly rigid information priorities
Express sympathy
You can express concern without opening
the company to liability issues
Develop a strategy based on type of crisis
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Strategic options
Full apology and corrective action - misdeeds
Corrective action
Ingratiation (remind audiences of the org. past
good deeds)
Justification - minimize or no serious problems
Excuse - no control, no bad intentions
Denial - no crisis exists
Attack the accuser - confront, threaten, lawsuit
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Strategic options
Attack Denial Excuse Justification Ingratiation Corrective Full
Accuser Action Apology
Defensive Accommodative
Weak Crisis Strong Crisis
Responsibility Responsibility

Rumors Natural Disasters Malevolence Accidents Misdeeds
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4c. Recovering
Follow-up on information requests
Communicate with stakeholders
Inform people about corrective actions
Talk about financial implications
Continue expressing compassion
Continue tracking issues, risks, etc.
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5. Managing post-crisis
Following-up
Collect crisis records, stakeholder feedback,
& media coverage
Conduct interviews with key personnel
Shaping memories
Internal audiences
External audiences
What did we learn? So what?
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Cont. 5 - managing post-crisis
Assessing effectiveness
Examine records
Look at phases of crisis
Determine changes
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6. Learning
New ROTs
Changes in CMP
New training opportunities
New personnel