Communications in a Crisis

Recent events have been a stark reminder of many thing:

- the difference in comfort levels in our communities

- the difference in attitudes and opinions towards authorities

- the lack of understanding between citizens of the same country

While there are many things to lament, there are also many things to consider. We'd rather leave that to the experts in those fields to sort through.  However one thing became clear to us that should be considered - What is your Crisis Communication Plan?

While it's possible to prepare for every eventuality, you need to have a plan to begin with:

- what are your vulnerabilities?

- what are the most likely things to go wrong?

- what is likely to be misunderstood?

Next you need to consider response:

- who is the designated spokesperson?

- what can / should they say for each issue?

- who will handle follow up inquiries?

And that is about as far as most communications plans go.  It's also where the breakdown begins.  More often than not the problems of a crisis occur because of a lack of familiarity and cooperation between interest groups.  Your plan needs to go further if you don't want to see a complete breakdown.

Your next step is asking how you are going to move forward:

- who can help heal the problems? Business consultants, therapists, ministers?

- what strategies should be implemented to heal? Community forums, outreach trees, group leaders?

- what is being done to record and promote those healing activities?

Your final task is turning that forward progress into a story of success.

Would any such plan have changed what happened? Probably not. But what it can do is create a less acrimonious situation than when emotions supplant reason.