It’s a Crisis. Are You Ready?
Written by Joe Couto, Cherri Greeno
You start a new day with a plan. Tasks to accomplish. People to meet with. Plans to move issues ahead. And then it happens. The unexpected crisis lands. Are you ready?
When we work with clients, one of our main goals is to make individuals and organizations aware that a crisis can happen anytime and they must be ready to meet a crisis head-on. A crisis communications plan is one of the most valuable tools an organization can develop. At its core, a crisis communications plan is a pre-established framework that guides how information will be shared before, during, and after an emergency. It ensures that communication is timely, accurate, consistent, and tailored to the needs of various audiences.
The good news is that in today’s unpredictable world, crisis communication is increasingly recognized as a critical component of organizational resilience because it helps maintain stakeholder confidence while reducing uncertainty during rapidly evolving events (Badu, Kruke, & Gunhild, 2023).
Start with Prepared Messaging
When a crisis hits, what will you communicate? One of the most important elements of a crisis communications plan is the development of pre-determined messaging and holding statements. Studies suggest that organizations that prepare communication materials in advance are better positioned to respond confidently and effectively when incidents occur. These messages, developed for key audiences, including the public, media, employees, partners, and community stakeholders, can be customized quickly as a crisis unfolds, allowing organizations to respond without delay.
Identify Your Audiences and Stakeholders
Do you know your audience? A strong crisis communications plan should include a comprehensive list of stakeholders – employees, community members, elected officials, partner agencies, media organizations, and members of the public – who require information during an incident.
During a crisis, stakeholders seek reliable information to help them understand what has happened, what actions are being taken, and how they may be affected. Trust is built when communication is transparent, consistent, and responsive to stakeholder concerns (Hynes et al., 2023). Organizations that establish relationships and communication channels before a crisis are often more successful in maintaining public confidence during challenging situations.
Designate a Spokesperson
Your people are your brand. Confusion can quickly emerge when multiple voices attempt to communicate on behalf of an organization. A crisis communications plan should clearly identify who will serve as the primary spokesperson and who will act as backups if needed.
Before a crisis, spokespersons must receive media training and understand both the operational and communications aspects of crisis management. Consistent messaging delivered by credible spokespersons helps reduce misinformation and reinforces organizational accountability (Upadhyay & Upadhyay, 2023).
Classify the Severity of the Crisis
No two crisis are the same. Not every incident requires the same level of response. Effective plans classify crises according to severity and impact.
For example, some incidents may involve little public risk and generate limited media attention, while highly intense crises may affect large populations, involve multiple agencies, and attract national or even international media coverage. Many years ago, we stepped in to assist a colleague at an organization located in a small town. Our colleague had just completed media training when suddenly a crisis exploded that say major international media descend on their usually quiet town. Thanks to supportive colleagues, that individual managed a major crisis that no one in her organization saw coming.
Prepare the Necessary Resources
An often-overlooked component of crisis preparedness is ensuring communication resources are readily available. This includes media contact lists, portable chargers, microphones, podiums, laptops, social media templates, and updated stakeholder databases. Modern emergency communications also include testing communication systems and ensuring redundancy in case primary systems fail.
Learn from Every Incident
The work does not end when a crisis is over. A comprehensive crisis communications plan should include a structured post-crisis review process. Organizations should evaluate what worked well, identify communication gaps, and implement improvements for future incidents. Continuous learning and after-action reviews are widely recognized as essential practices for improving future emergency response and communication effectiveness (RAND, 2024).
In a crisis, you should never feel alone. Working with seasoned communicators like us can give you the confidence to anticipate and proactively deal with any crisis. Survive a crisis? How about thrive through a crisis?
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Badu, J., Kruke, B. & Gunhild, S. (2023). Crisis communication and trustworthiness among crisis actors: towards a typology of crisis management difficulties. Safety in Extreme Environments, 5, 1-12. 1. doi: 0.1007/s42797-023-00074-8.
RAND Corporation. (2024). After-action reviews and organizational learning in emergency management. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2980-1.html.
Upadhyay, S. & Upadhyay, N. (2023). Mapping crisis communication in the communication research: what we know and what we don’t know. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-19. doi: 10.1057/s41599-023-02069-z.