Crisis Communications Plans Help Organizations Be Prepared
By Tara Goodwin
February 16, 2020
Twenty years ago, it was the first few hours after disaster struck that largely determined whether an organization would emerge from a crisis with its reputation intact.
In today’s speed of life, it’s minutes and seconds. Citizen journalists with smartphones can identify a crisis long before leaders are even aware anything is amiss. A CEO in a recent workshop admitted that he learned about a fire in one of his plants on Facebook, and many a school administrator has learned about issues with their staff or students over Twitter or Snapchat.
Sadly, these scenarios are not uncommon, which makes planning for the inevitable even more critical. Ideally, a crisis communication plan will be an integral part of an organization or school district’s emergency planning efforts. When disaster strikes, there isn’t time to sit down and figure out how you are going to communicate with the world, with your own organization, or with those your organization touches.
A few weeks ago, as COVID-19 loomed on the horizon, it was merely a distant concern. This past Friday, the President declared a National State of Emergency. Cancellations are the rule not an exception, grocery store shelves are empty and highway traffic is light. Most companies have directed employees to work from home if their work is not produced on the job site. School administrators are seeking guidance on how long to close their doors, what to do if a teacher, parent, cafeteria worker or student tests positive for the virus, or whether or not they have the right technology to seamlessly activate virtual classrooms.
The good news is that we are learning from each other as this crisis continues to unfold. Knowing what possibilities may be ahead can help us plan next steps in this evolving situation. It’s never too late to start a plan, even as a crisis is in progress.
A crisis communications plan has four basic elements:
Crisis inventory – worst case scenarios
A crisis inventory explores each part of the organization and outlines worst-case scenarios: a school shooter; a scandal involving senior administration; an uncontrolled virus or accident, fire, or terrorist attack. No one wants to think about these scenarios until they happen and then it’s too late.
Infrastructure for internal and external communications
Plan how to handle both external and internal communications to prevent destructive speculation from inside or outside the organization, protect students, and reassure parents and other stakeholders. A communications infrastructure involves notification procedures for key faculty, with contact information readily available. It involves internet “dark sites” with materials prepared in advance that can be quickly customized to fit the specifics of the ongoing crisis. Also essential is list of key resources, such as media contacts, emergency responders, and outside experts who might be brought in to provide objective third-party support for your organization’s crisis messages.
Holding statements – logistics
These are materials prepared ahead of time that help the organization get through the first few critical minutes of the developing crisis. It enables you to buy time until you get to the next level of discovery. It includes pre-selected sites for news conferences and the preparation and media training of key personnel – usually at district level -- who will act as spokespeople for the school or district.
Managing the rumor mill
This involves contact information readily available for all staff and parents. It includes rapid deployment notices and details on how and when those messages will be disseminated and provides a list of pre-determined sites for students and staff to meet in large or small groups to receive updated information as needed.
No communications plan, no matter how well crafted, can guarantee that your school or district will emerge unscathed from a crisis. It’s not whether you have a crisis, it’s when and how severe. Planning ahead will help your school or district effectively navigate through a crisis when so much is at stake.
On Tuesday, March 17th, at 2pm eastern Doug Reeves and Tara Goodwin will present a free webinar on COVID-19; Tips and Tools to Effectively Respond in Crisis. Register for the webinar here.
Tara Goodwin is President and CEO of The Goodwin Group and Co-Founder of Crisis Interception, LLC, and is now part of the Creative Leadership Solutions team.