CRISIS

COMMUNICATION
It is not if, but when.

When is a Crisis a Crisis

The communication scholar Timothy Coombs defines

crisis as:
The perception of an unpredictable event that threatens

important expectancies of stakeholders and can seriously

impact an organizations performance and generate
negative outcomes

Types of Crisis
External Crisis: an unplanned for or unexpected event

that happens outside your organisation, but you forced to

respond to. Eg Murray & Roberts bridge collapse, the BP
oil well explosion in the Gulf of Mexico
Internal Crisis: a conflict within the organisation that
explodes into the open. Eg the current fight in the ANC.
The racist tweet by economist Chris Hart. MTN Nigerian
fine.

Can you plan for a Crisis

Most big institutions have scenario plans for many issues

that burst into the public eye.

Small group that look at blind spots in the organization
and looks to address them internally.
There should be some kind of vulnerability audit. To
isolate blind spots

Planning for a Crisis

Have a Crisis Communication Team, it has to include the

CEO, key executives, the head of PR and Key members

of his or her team.
Designate a spokesperson. This person has to speak with
authority and make decisions. This is ideally the CEO.
The person has to be trained to deal with and engage the
media and the public

Planning for a Crisis

Manage your relationship with the media and public by

building good will.

Building good will, builds credibility and buys you time to
establish the facts and come up with a suitable company
narrative.
Have a role out plan internally, where everyone knows
their role and responsibility.
Align all the responses to company values. You have
to let your values guide you in a crisis. It Guides you
to higher principals.

The Crisis
If you know a crisis is going to hit. What do you do?
Go to identified stakeholders and engage them first. They

dont want to findout with the rest of the public. (staff,

unions, state agencies, shareholders, communities etc)
Gather the facts as far as you know. The people reporting
the facts must give you everything, not just what they
think is necessary.

Formulating a Response
Use every platform available to you. Traditional and New

Media
Have a press conference, take to social media, make your
own video. Speaking is not enough showing it is. Social
Media and Video team have to be drawn in and supported
with approved content.
If there there are victims, they have to be acknowledged
and supported. It is about getting them through the crisis
and draw your attention to them.

Crisis
It is not about casting blame, but finding out what

happened.
Reiterate your values and and record.
If an investigation has to be done, it must be by an third
party.
Get the buy in and support of third parties.
Communicate every step of the way.

THE DONTS
You do not have the right to complain.
Do not lie and defer responsibility.
Lying and takes away from you credibility.
Do not take to long to respond. You do not control the

narrative, but he narrative controls you.

DOS
Go to your Values
Prepare
Dont lie
Show empathy
Take Responsibility
Communicate Communicate Communicate