There’s a world of difference between having a strategically
crafted crisis management plan in place and simply having to
manage a crisis, “from the back foot.” The world was served a
painful reminder on the subject, by the inept and vintage
cold-war era handling by Russian President Vladimir Putin, of
the Kursk submarine disaster.
Blunder number one was the (then) strangely paunchy Putin not
cancelling his holiday to, guideline number one: Be there. The
most senior possible person must always be dusted off and
wheeled out. The level of seniority demonstrates the seriousness
with which the issue is viewed.
The Russians are still locked into a quasi cold war mentality.
In which anything to do with the military is shrouded in a fog
of disinformation. That might have worked OK in USSR days, but
in the days of the media-enabled global village, there’s no
place for inept “spokespeople” adding to confusion and grief.
Guideline number two is: Tell the truth. There is no possibility
of having to argue later, like so many politicians, that you
were “misquoted” or that your comments were “taken out of
context.” Telling the truth, up front, is the simplest and most
effective way of defusing public hostility, however vexatious
the issue.
Many corporates fall into the trap of, “we can fix this
ourselves.” Sometimes you can’t. When it’s something requiring
outside or specialised help, it’s better to bring in early, an
excess of help, rather than too little, or none. Your public,
whoever they may be, will always be impressed by your “all hands
on deck” approach.
Guideline number three is: Tell them what you’re doing to fix
it. Bring the families or close ones of victims, or those
affected, to the heart of the operations control area if
possible and safe. Accommodate and feed them. Provide them with
communications to family and friends. Above all else, keep them
fully briefed. Think of then-Mayor of New York, Rudi Giuliani,
and his tireless communication with the media and those affected
by September 11th 2001. Corporate heads around the world can
learn from his example. Provide counselling, support and any
other facilities that might be needed to help the affected to
cope. Airlines now have this down to a formula.
So, guideline number four: Handle those affected, with utmost
sensitivity. Expect and treat their emotive outbursts with
empathy. They’re “normal”, given the circumstances. A South
African case in point is the insensitive media statement made by
the Everite (they of asbestos products notoriety) “Reputation
Management” spokesperson, via the media, to the bereaved, in
defence of his client. He said something to the effect that “the
circumstances surrounding the death are most unfortunate, but
future statements will be made only within the strict confines
of the law.” That truly is, as the Zulu aphorism says, “speaking
out of both sides of the mouth.”
Company responses such as this and those from Cape PLC – also
involved in slow-and-painful-death, asbestosis claims-related
issues, don’t win themselves any friends with such undiplomatic,
cavalier, hide-behind-the-legal-veil pronouncements. Remember
that potential investors today look to your triple bottom line
of fiscal, social and environmental performance and sensitivity.
Companies exhibiting scant regard for their past ill-doings,
deserve to go bust.
If ever there is a need for unambiguous, simple, clear
communication, this is it. Set up a communications task force
and ensure that they’re all at the same stage of familiarity on
the situation, at all times. Guideline five is: Sing off the
same, simple, song sheet. There’s nothing more awful than
conflicting views or “updates” on the situation. This can do
image and share price damage and anger the public - as did the
Russians, or years previously, those mismanaging the Exxon
Valdez oil spill disaster in Alaska. It will look as if you
don’t know what’s going on and haven’t got a handle on the
situation. Which clearly will be the case.
Guideline six is: Come up real quick with A plan showing how you
propose to avoid a repeat in the future. Think of the French
authorities and the Concorde crash. They swung speedily into
action – for which air crash investigations are not renowned –
and along with British Airways, grounded all Concordes until
designers came up with a fuel tank protection solution.
Guideline seven says: Don’t be tempted to lie or “cover” for the
boss or the corporation. South African National Minister of
Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, has made a right royal dolt
of herself, by refusing to make HIV/AIDS-related statements at
odds with those of President Thabo Mbeki. This guideline is not
in conflict with the “sing off the same song sheet” dictum. It’s
a warning to remember that your responsibility does not include
“covering” for someone else’s maverick stance. When they’re
discredited, so will you be. This may pose a moral and career
dilemma for you. Look long-term before you act.
Guideline eight is: Go the added mile. Deliver the unexpected,
go beyond the requirements of the situation. Set up a trust.
Establish a bursary fund. Create an institution. Shell, Sappi,
Sasol and numerous other environmental sinners have very
cleverly implemented wild life, ornithological or other
environmental awareness programs. You may have noticed the
inordinately frequent flighting of Shell “environmental
friendliness” commercials during Discovery Channel’s damp-squib
Egyptian, “drill through the pyramid wall” broadcast. These
“show that they care” about the environment, right? Well, that
stuff works on unthinking people, even if it does mean sailing a
tad close to the wind at times. Thank God for Greenpeace though,
to keep the record straight.
Guideline nine: When it’s good, localise or take credit for it.
When it’s bad, globalise it and “share the problem.” Example:
You’ve had (as did Shoprite Checkers, following the acquisition
of OK Bazaars) a dreadful year, because OK Bazaars “shrinkage”
had dented their bottom line. Globalise by stating quite
truthfully that no retail chain in the world is impervious to
staff theft. Tell ’em that the people in the newly acquired
company were disaffected and demotivated and hence, destructive.
Then localise, and say what you’ve done to reassure and
remotivate the staff, and improve the security aspect. So you’re
sharing the bad and claiming the good. You should not attempt to
do this dishonestly, or hide the real story. It’s simply being
candid - but intelligently so. Tony Blair did this well, when
discussing the intoxicated and very public behaviour of his
errant son, Euan.
Guideline ten is: The media is your umbilical cord to your
public. You need to be available to the women and men of the
media day and night. You should set up a media crisis centre.
Appropriately catered with food, plenty of caffeine and
non-alcoholic beverages. The American mine management and their
State Governor did well with the coal-mine cave-in in
Pennsylvania. TV viewers valued seeing the pale, drawn,
exhausted, bags-under-the-eyes Governor, investing some “sweat
equity.”
As they did, you should have someone senior and diplomatic from
your corporate affairs team, on duty at all times. Don’t be
smart with the media. Don’t try to feed them “spin.” Don’t think
you can manipulate them. Don’t put them down, or belittle their
perspectives. The better you keep them in the loop, the less
vitriolic they’re likely to be. You need them at this time more
than any other. How you treat them will be reciprocated. If you
don’t already have a media relations program underway, you’d
better start one. You don’t know when you’re going to need it.
Don’t use a crisis as your getting-to-know-the-media opportunity.
The bottom line? What I call the “three A’s.” Acknowledge or
admit to the situation. Specify what Action you’re taking right
now to contain or repair the damage. Tell them what you’re going
to do to Avoid a repeat in the future. If you don’t, you might
well be blowing the accumulated benefits of your combined
marketing, advertising, and communications budgets and efforts,
in one fell swoop. You don’t have to.
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