Communicating in a crisis

1. Communicating in a crisis Are you ready?

2. Communicating in a crisis There can’t be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full. - Henry Kissinger

3. Communicating in a crisis What is a crisis? • An unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially: one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome. - Merriam-Webster

4. Communicating in a crisis What is a crisis? cont’d • An extraordinary event or series of events that adversely affects the integrity of the product, the reputation or financial stability of the organization; or the health or well-being of employees, the community or the public at large. - Pacific Telesis Crisis Communication Manual

5. Communicating in a crisis What is a crisis? cont’d • A turning point • A time of testing • Important time when something may become much better or worse • A situation that can bring improvement • A decisive moment

6. Communicating in a crisis Crises are inevitable • Crises are like plays; there are only so many basic plots. Everything else is variation. Two factors are always present: Crises involve people, and they interrupt the normal ‘chain of command.’ - Newsom et al. This is PR: The Realities of PublicRelations (2004)

7. Communicating in a crisis What has happened … • Youth pastor molests teenage girls • Camp counselor suffers a heart attack • Pastor embezzles church funds • Pastor caught soliciting a prostitute • Church members killed while on a mission trip

8. What’s at stake? Reputation, reputation, reputation! Competence, integrity, trust – even the future ministry of the church – all hang in the balance…. To be judged in the “court of public opinion” as lacking integrity, competence and compassion tarnishes a reputation to such an extent that it is difficult and, in some cases, impossible to restore. - F. A. Craig, Not if, But When: A Crisis Management Manual. Communicating in a crisis

9. Communicating in a crisis Your reputation is your most valuable asset.

10. Communicating in a crisis Perception is everything • You are what people think you are. • Perception determines the outcome of every crisis response. • Public opinion is formed by perception, not reality. • Regardless of what is happening internally, the way the public perceives a situation becomes reality; a company has to address it. - The PR Crisis Bible, R. Cohn (2000)

11. Communicating in a crisis Issues of trust • Only 64 percent of adults believe they can trust clergymen or priests to tell the truth (Taylor & Humphrey, November 27, 2002). • Just 52 percent of Americans had confidence in the honesty and ethics of priests and members of the clergy (Gallup Poll, Clergy ratings, January 13, 2003).

12. Communicating in a crisis • Are you ready? • Written crisis communication plan • Crisis communication team • Spokesperson selected and prepared • Access to organizational and policy documents, staff bios • Plan to contact staff before media contacts them • Staff knows not to talk to media • Legal representation

13. Communicating in a crisis When writing your plan, remember, as a Christian organization your actions in a crisis situation will be watched closely. The public will often see the actions you take as representative of not only Christianity as a whole, but also God Himself.

14. Communicating in a crisis The crisis communication team and other players • Executive director or president of organization • A member of the pastoral or executive staff (if possible) • A member of the church or organization governing board • Someone with excellent writing and verbal communication skills

15. Communicating in a crisis The crisis communication team and other players cont’d • Someone with pastoral care or mental health skills • Someone with legal or investigative training • Someone with a heart for intercessory prayer • Some crises will call for the addition or subtraction of members - Adapted from M. Woodruff, Confronted with the shameful. Leadership

16. Communicating in a crisis Planning for a crisis • Team members should meet once a quarter to discuss a crisis scenario and walk through the plan to see if it will properly address the situation. • Team members should take the time to discuss the hard questions the media would ask. Compile a list of questions and answers.

17. Communicating in a crisis Planning for a crisis cont’d • Draw up a list of crisis communication professionals if the crisis proves to be too large in scope. • Who will be in charge in of notifying whom and in what order when the crisis happens? • Chose the spokesperson for the scenario. Does that person have training? • Select a back-up spokesperson.

18. Communicating in a crisis Types of crises • Departure of high profile staff member • Death or injury of a staff member or individual at organization event • Sexual abuse • Sexual harassment • Destruction due to weather or natural event • Computer/Internet misuse • Bomb threat

19. “What are the worst things that can possibly happen?” Write down all of the scenarios you can think of. Then ask, “What is the best way to respond?” Taking time to brainstorm will make it easier to formulate your plan. It will also make it easier to see which crises can be predicted and which cannot. You can work on solving the problems that can be predicted now and save yourself from a crisis later. Communicating in a crisis

20. Communicating in a crisis Sample crisis planning meeting agenda • Name the issue • Describe the potential for controversy • What facts and figures can you use to respond to an attack quickly? • Where is additional information on this topic filed?

21. Communicating in a crisis Sample crisis planning meeting agenda cont’d • List all the leading, difficult tricky and nasty questions reporters could ask you about this controversial situation. Write out your answers, show them to your organization’s lawyer and rewrite them based on his or her advice. Always avoid restating misleading or wrong information. Keep your statements positive and focused on the facts.

22. Communicating in a crisis Sample crisis planning meeting agenda cont’d -- Rewrite based on lawyers advice -- Are there any aspects your lawyer forbids you talk about with the press?

23. Communicating in a crisis Sample crisis planning meeting agenda cont’d • Is the press -- likely to favor your position in this controversy? -- likely to take a stand against you in this controversy? -- neutral in this controversy and willing to listen? -- Why?

24. Communicating in a crisis Sample crisis planning meeting agenda cont’d • Who are your potential allies on this issue? List your most powerful, useful allies first. • Which organizations or individuals are likely to attack you or be your enemies in a controversy on this issue? Do they have any hidden motives you could expose that would discredit them?

25. Communicating in a crisis Sample crisis planning meeting agenda cont’d • Will the controversy go away on its own; should you ignore it? Why or why not? • How can you make it look like you’re the initiator of the debate, even if you have been attacked?

26. Communicating in a crisis Sample crisis planning meeting agenda cont’d • Have you discussed your organization’s stance on this issue with the top executives? -- Organization’s stance -- Problems with this stance -- Problem resolutions Yale, David R. Publicity & Media Relations Checklists (1995)

27. Communicating in a crisis When written in Chinese the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity. - John F. Kennedy

28. Communicating in a crisis Putting the plan into action • Contact and meet with the crisis communication team • Meet immediately with legal counsel • Determine if criminal activity has occurred • Advise the accused to seek an attorney

29. Communicating in a crisis Putting the plan into action cont’d. • Contact the insurance company • Assign liaisons • Develop a plan for communication • Develop a plan for further investigation • Make counseling available - Confronted with the shameful. Leadership (2001)

30. Communicating in a crisis The official statement • Just the facts • Make sure you can support the facts • Don’t go into too much detail, but do provide a complete picture • Watch your phrasing • Don’t sensationalize

31. Communicating in a crisis The official statement cont’d • Don’t lie by omission • Express compassion • Don’t trivialize • Make sure you are comfortable with the response

32. Communicating in a crisis Talking the talk … • Avoid Christianese • No controversial or inflammatory statements • Don’t proselytize • Show empathy • Watch your body language • Appropriate dress

33. Communicating in a crisis Surviving a hostile interview • Quotations containing loaded words: Don’t use the loaded words in your answer, substitute more neutral wording in their place.

34. Communicating in a crisis Surviving a hostile interview cont’d • Chorus line: After a series of simple “yes” questions, you’re hit with a “zinger.” Combat this technique by answering “yes” to the second question and expand your answer from there.

35. Communicating in a crisis Surviving a hostile interview cont’d • Prompting information: You are either hit with a fast paced series of questions or the interviewer allows an “uncomfortable silence.” Either answer the questions slowly or remain silent. • Baiting accusations or hypothetical situations: Don’t allow yourself to be baited; instead direct the interviewer to the proper source.

36. Communicating in a crisis Surviving a hostile interview cont’d • Needling or false facts: Stand firm and provide the proper information without getting upset and attacking the interviewer. - http://www.calpsychlink.org/news/interviewtips/televisiontips.htm

37. Communicating in a crisis Christian media • Members of the Christian media will normally have an insight into your church or organization, but there is much debate about whether or not to cover Christian scandals and if so, how to cover them. Your treatment depends on which side of the issue the members of the Christian media fall.

38. Communicating in a crisis Damage control online • Post all available information on your website. • Don’t ignore them, read the blogs. Know what they are saying and be prepared to address them.

39. Communicating in a crisis The easiest period in a crisis situation is actually the battle itself. The most difficult is the period of indecision – whether to fight or run away. And the most dangerous period is the aftermath. It is then, with all his resources spent and his guard down, that an individual must watch for dulled reactions and faulty judgment. - Richard M. Nixon

40. Communicating in a crisis The evaluation period • Was the crisis preventable? If it was, what could have been done to prevent it? • Are there guidelines to prevent the same crisis from occurring again? • Did the crisis communication plan work? If it didn’t, what changes should be made?

41. Communicating in a crisis The evaluation period cont’d • Will the media revisit it? If so, how will you respond? Did the crisis communication plan work? If it didn’t, what changes should be made? • Will the media revisit it? If so, how will you respond?

42. Communicating in a crisis It’s over. Take a short time to enjoy your crisis-free moments, and then begin preparing for the next one, because, unfortunately, there is always a next one. When the next one does arrive, you will be better prepared and have even more knowledge to deal with the situation.

43. Communicating in a crisis The whole life of an American is passed like a game of chance, a revolutionary crisis, or a battle. - Alexis de Tocqueville