Move Crisis Communications to the Forefront
If the last two years has taught us anything, it’s that crisis mode is the new normal.
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic offers the most sweeping proof of this, but the rash of floods, hurricanes, tornados and wildfires runs a close second.
Add to that the host of human-generated crises, and well, Houston we have a problem.
For communicators and leaders, the start of the solution is moving the creation of a crisis communication protocol off the to-do list and into action.
Here are the three initial steps to making it happen:
Identify your rapid-response team: When crisis hits – and it inevitably will – you need to be ready to react quickly and effectively. The first step to assuring that happens is creating a rapid response team that meets regularly and can be quickly activated. The makeup of that team varies for each organization, but an experienced communication lead, a senior leader, and someone with legal or risk management expertise is a good start.
Create your ground rules: For your rapid-response team to function effectively, it’s essential to establish a process that governs how you will operate. Some questions that will help shape your ground rules include:
What triggers this group coming together?
What are the expectations of members?
Who is empowered to deploy messages across different channels/audiences?
What needs to be prepared in advance?
What materials do you need to have at your fingertips?
Establish key roles: Now that you have the framework developed, the next step is to identify roles and responsibilities, including:
Who handles creation of initial drafts?
Who is involved in your review process – and who has final say on what’s released publicly?
Who will be charged with distributing information via multiple channels.
Who will be your spokesperson for the media and key audiences.
There’s a lot more that goes into developing a robust crisis communications protocol. Yet, once you’ve taken these 3 key steps you’re in a far better position to navigate through a crisis.
As we’ve learned, trouble can strike at any moment. The time to start preparing is now.