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Crisis Management - Or Managing The Crisis?
By Clive Simpkins, Sat Dec 10th
/p> There’s a world of difference between having a strategicallycrafted crisis management plan in place and simply having tomanage a crisis, “from the back foot.” The world was served apainful reminder on the subject, by the inept and vintagecold-war era handling by Russian President Vladimir Putin, ofthe Kursk submarine disaster. Blunder number one was the (then) strangely paunchy Putin notcancelling his holiday to, guideline number one: Be there. Themost senior possible person must always be dusted off andwheeled out. The level of seniority demonstrates the seriousnesswith 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 fogof disinformation. That might have worked OK in USSR days, butin the days of the media-enabled global village, there’s noplace for inept “spokespeople” adding to confusion and grief.Guideline number two is: Tell the truth. There is no possibilityof having to argue later, like so many politicians, that youwere “misquoted” or that your comments were “taken out ofcontext.” Telling the truth, up front, is the simplest and mosteffective way of defusing public hostility, however vexatiousthe issue.
Many corporates fall into the trap of, “we can fix thisourselves.” Sometimes you can’t. When it’s something requiringoutside or specialised help, it’s better to bring in early, anexcess of help, rather than too little, or none. Your public,whoever they may be, will always be impressed by your “all handson deck” approach. Guideline number three is: Tell them what you’re doing to fixit. Bring the families or close ones of victims, or thoseaffected, to the heart of the operations control area ifpossible and safe. Accommodate and feed them. Provide them withcommunications to family and friends. Above all else, keep themfully briefed. Think of then-Mayor of New York, Rudi Giuliani,and his tireless communication with the media and those affectedby September 11th 2001. Corporate heads around the world canlearn from his example. Provide counselling, support and anyother facilities that might be needed to help the affected tocope. Airlines now have this down to a formula. So, guideline number four: Handle those affected, with utmostsensitivity. Expect and treat their emotive outbursts withempathy. They’re “normal”, given the circumstances. A SouthAfrican case in point is the insensitive media statement made bythe Everite (they of asbestos products notoriety) “ReputationManagement” spokesperson, via the media, to the bereaved, indefence of his client. He said something to the effect that “thecircumstances surrounding the death are most unfortunate, butfuture statements will be made only within the strict confinesof the law.” That truly is, as the Zulu aphorism says, “speakingout of both sides of the mouth.” Company responses such as this and those from Cape PLC – alsoinvolved in slow-and-painful-death, asbestosis claims-relatedissues, don’t win themselves any friends with such undiplomatic,cavalier, hide-behind-the-legal-veil pronouncements. Rememberthat potential investors today look to your triple bottom lineof 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, clearcommunication, this is it. Set up a communications task forceand ensure that they’re all at the same stage of familiarity onthe situation, at all times. Guideline five is: Sing off thesame, simple, song sheet. There’s nothing more awful thanconflicting views or “updates” on the situation. This can doimage and share price damage and anger the public - as did theRussians, or years previously, those mismanaging the ExxonValdez oil spill disaster in Alaska. It will look as if youdon’t know what’s going on and haven’t got a handle on thesituation. Which clearly will be the case. Guideline six is: Come up real quick with A plan showing how youpropose to avoid
a repeat in the future. Think of the Frenchauthorities and the Concorde crash. They swung speedily intoaction – for which air crash investigations are not renowned –and along with British Airways, grounded all Concordes untildesigners came up with a fuel tank protection solution. Guideline seven says: Don’t be tempted to lie or “cover” for theboss or the corporation. South African National Minister ofHealth, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, has made a right royal doltof herself, by refusing to make HIV/AIDS-related statements atodds with those of President Thabo Mbeki. This guideline is notin conflict with the “sing off the same song sheet” dictum. It’sa warning to remember that your responsibility does not include“covering” for someone else’s maverick stance. When they’rediscredited, so will you be. This may pose a moral and careerdilemma 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 verycleverly implemented wild life, ornithological or otherenvironmental awareness programs. You may have noticed theinordinately frequent flighting of Shell “environmentalfriendliness” commercials during Discovery Channel’s damp-squibEgyptian, “drill through the pyramid wall” broadcast. These“show that they care” about the environment, right? Well, thatstuff works on unthinking people, even if it does mean sailing atad 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 acquisitionof OK Bazaars) a dreadful year, because OK Bazaars “shrinkage”had dented their bottom line. Globalise by stating quitetruthfully that no retail chain in the world is impervious tostaff theft. Tell ’em that the people in the newly acquiredcompany were disaffected and demotivated and hence, destructive.Then localise, and say what you’ve done to reassure andremotivate the staff, and improve the security aspect. So you’resharing the bad and claiming the good. You should not attempt todo this dishonestly, or hide the real story. It’s simply beingcandid - but intelligently so. Tony Blair did this well, whendiscussing the intoxicated and very public behaviour of hiserrant son, Euan. Guideline ten is: The media is your umbilical cord to yourpublic. You need to be available to the women and men of themedia day and night. You should set up a media crisis centre.Appropriately catered with food, plenty of caffeine andnon-alcoholic beverages. The American mine management and theirState Governor did well with the coal-mine cave-in inPennsylvania. TV viewers valued seeing the pale, drawn,exhausted, bags-under-the-eyes Governor, investing some “sweatequity.” As they did, you should have someone senior and diplomatic fromyour corporate affairs team, on duty at all times. Don’t besmart with the media. Don’t try to feed them “spin.” Don’t thinkyou can manipulate them. Don’t put them down, or belittle theirperspectives. The better you keep them in the loop, the lessvitriolic they’re likely to be. You need them at this time morethan any other. How you treat them will be reciprocated. If youdon’t already have a media relations program underway, you’dbetter 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 oradmit to the situation. Specify what Action you’re taking rightnow to contain or repair the damage. Tell them what you’re goingto do to Avoid a repeat in the future. If you don’t, you mightwell be blowing the accumulated benefits of your combinedmarketing, advertising, and communications budgets and efforts,in one fell swoop. You don’t have to. About the author:Clive is a marketing and communications strategist. He helpspeople and organizations make sustainable change.http://www.imbizo.com
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