For almost 20 years, I’ve observed well intentioned and highly trained professional communicators consistently face challenges in providing effective crisis communication. I’m convinced that the issue isn’t our knowledge or training in the craft; it is understanding the dynamics we work under and how we can be more prepared by understanding the arena in which we strive.
At its core, crisis communication is the art and science of getting good at something we hope to never do. Communicators sincerely hope to be the ultimate understudy, never called to actually perform. We hope to be the last relief pitcher, really good at sitting but untested in pitching.
The role of stakeholder communication is institutionalized in Incident Command and Unified Command, powerful systems of ensuring effective response in bad-to-worse times, and we know it well. We just don’t often do it well, nor do we often do it at all.
First of all, a big shout out to the people who have faced the fire, who have stepped into a real crisis and performed under the rare pressure of peril. Regardless of how you feel you did, you were there and you’re still in the field, serving with a new understanding of what ‘the real thing’ does to you and your plans. If you want to know how to fight a fire, get advice from someone who smells like smoke. Communicators who have worked through a major crisis are rare, and have much to offer. My posts here are written in respect to each of you.
I’m breaking my future posts into three broad sections that coincide with the basic cycle of crisis communications; before, during and after. What are you doing before to be ready for a response? What do you need to know to be most effective during a response? How do you maximize your reputation after a response?
Each post is a cluster of observations, thoughts and recommendations that I hope help each of us be better at what we do. These are observations have worked their way through my mind to analyze what happened, why it happened and how it could have been done better. My purpose is to provoke thought that leads to better performance and better results.