Crisis Communications: Planning to Weather the Storm

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Crises are a fact of life, despite our best efforts. You can usually tell that a storm is coming if you know how to read the sky when events turn dark and sometimes scary. Your organization can find itself tossed to and fro like waves crashing against a sea wall. Those waves can be quite destructive. Sort of like when the puzzle falls off the table and all the pieces scatter on the floor. Has all your work been destroyed? What to do? Well the best plan is to PLAN and always prepare for the worse. Do your research and come up with a worse case scenario. Identify the crisis management team in advance. Consider the best way to use social media to quickly establish your message and control rumors.

How do you protect your people if there is a physical threat of danger? Do a complete run-through to practice the plan like a fire drill, including on-camera interviews with senior leaders. Does everyone on your team know the process? Ask the hard and uncomfortable questions BEFORE you really need to.

In my experience I have both planned and implemented crisis communications plans, helping to craft messages, knowing when “we’ll get back to you ASAP” is the right answer, and ALWAYS ensuring safety comes first.

As a trained professional with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I have more than 10 years of experience designing, implementing, leading and advising senior leaders in governments and nonprofit organizations about effective communications strategies that help deliver results in international development. To learn more about my experience including online products, outreach, media relations, stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, and media training, read my bio, check out my portfolio or contact me today.

To greater success,
Nolu