1.) Have an action plan
It’s important to allocate specific roles to each of your team members. You don’t want to step on each others toes and the message needs to be cohesive. Figure out what actions you will take. Why do you think we do tornado drills and create family fire escape plans? Those who plan accordingly will reap the benefits. Flying by the seat of your pants may seem fun, but it’s a slippery slope to failure.
2.) Evaluate the scenarios
Always have a plan B through Z. Don’t panic if the plan does not go smoothly. Mistakes are a part of life. The most important aspect of handling a crisis is your reaction. Don’t be afraid to step up to the plate and tell the truth. Go through the scenarios and find the best course of action.
3.) Corporate Culture is Key
According to highly acclaimed Crisis Communication expert Melissa Agnes, it’s important to develop a corporate culture that empowers your employees to do the right thing. If you base your organizations on respect and fairness, your employees will go to bat for you. However, if you treat your employees like numbers and not people, they could potentially escalate a crisis even further. Everyone knows to build strong customer relationships, but don’t overlook employee relations.
4.) Issue vs. Crisis
Melissa Agnes stands by the notion that an issue is not a crisis. Sometimes no reaction at all is the best solution. Don’t start feeling froggy and leaping at every issue that arises. According to Agnes, a crisis is a negative event/situation that has, or threatens to have, a direct negative impact on the organization’s reputation and/or bottom line, for the long-term. An issue is a negative event/situation that does not have, or threaten to have, a direct negative impact on the organization’s reputation and/or bottom line for the long-term. Many crisis communication professionals do not like the term social media crisis because it is often an overused catch-all term that can either minimize the severity of a crisis or escalate a simple issue. Have you ever heard of a crisis that pertained to social media only? Although we live in a digital world, real entities are still behind those computer screens. For more info on how to decipher the difference between a crisis and an issue, take a look at this blog post by Melissa Agnes.
Here is an awesome infographic on managing crisis communication situations. Melissa Agnes has a great infographic on her website as well!
Go follow Melissa Agnes on Twitter for more expert advice on crisis communications!
Agnes has a wonderful podcast as well!
Don’t forget about my instructor Dr. Karen Freberg, she is an amazing speaker with extensive knowledge on the subject of crisis communications! Check out Dr. Freberg’s blog and go follow her on Twitter too.
Remember to stay calm, cool and collected !
Bobby Alan Brown 