Cours 10-11

Question 1

What do you know about the spokespersons?

Answer 1

o Spokespersons are on the front line of crisis communication

o The spokesperson is doing the job in a time of high stress - the organization is in crisis and the media want answers immediately

o They can rapidly go from hero to zero

SPOKESPERSON: AN ESSENTIAL ROLE DURING A CRISIS

Voir le tableau à la page 63 des notes de cours

Question 2

Why do organizations need to be ready to respond quickly to crises?

Answer 2

Because news spreads easily and swiftly these days.

Question 3

What role do cell phones and social media play in spreading news?

Answer 3

Everyone is a potential reporter, and whatever happens in a public space can be broadcast instantaneously, often before the organization is even aware of it.

Question 4

How have social media changed the dynamics of communication during a crisis?

Answer 4

They make it even more critical for organizations to handle crises effectively, as information spreads very quickly and widely.

Question 5

What challenges do social media pose to organizations during a crisis?

Answer 5

Social media allows for the immediate dissemination of events, forcing organizations to react faster and more effectively.

Question 6

What are the implications of social media for crisis management in companies?

Answer 6

Social media requires companies to prepare better and respond proactively, as it fundamentally changes how crises are perceived and communicated to the public.

Question 7

WHY ARE MEDIA RELATIONS SO IMPORTANT?

Answer 7

o Because you have to be quick
 Very important to respond rapidly, although speed increases risks
 If the crisis team does not supply the initial crisis information to the media, some other groups will, and they may be ill informed, misinformed or motivated to harm the organization
 Silence is a very passive response and reflects uncertainty and passivity
 A quick response does have reputational protection benefits

o Because you have to be consistent
 The key is preparation of all spokespersons, including the sharing of all relevant information and the coordination of the questions and spokespersons
 Each organization should have a pool of spokespersons, all selected and trained in advance of a crisis

o Because you have to be open
 Stakeholders are angrier when an organization lies about a crisis than when an organization simply has a crisis
 The spokesperson’s answers must be clear and concise. Clear means the answer is free of organizational jargon and overly technical terms and details
 Technobabble makes people think the organization is using jargon to avoid telling the truth
 No corporate response video should go out if it does not appear genuine and sincere

Question 8

What are the basic principles of do’s and don’t ?

Answer 8

Do’s
 Show you care
 Embody your organization’s identity
 Tell the truth
 Acknowledge criticism and outrage
 Practice active listening
 Use third-party endorsement
 Follow-up consistently
 Keep it short & simple
 Express that your company is taking operations in hand

Don’t
 Don’t use jargon
 Don’t use humor
 Try not to repeat negative questions or facts
 Don’t give personal opinions
 Don’t use one-fits-all answers
 Don’t speculate
 Don’t overreassure
 Don’t make false promises
L

Question 9

How do media typically react to the initial crisis response?

Answer 9

They are less critical towards the initial crisis response.

Question 10

What should you know before giving an interview during a crisis?

Answer 10

You should know details about the interview you will give.

Question 11

Why is it important to avoid assuming anything is “off the record”?

Answer 11

Because there is no “off the record,” and you need to beware of open microphones.

Question 12

What should you do to prepare for an interview during a crisis?

Answer 12

Anticipate the questions that will be asked.

Question 13

What should you avoid doing during a media interview in a crisis situation?

Answer 13

Avoid raising the issue yourself.

Question 14

What do people expect from the first response during a crisis, and how do their expectations change over time?

Answer 14

The first response doesn’t need to provide a large view of what is going on, but as the crisis lasts longer, people expect to receive more detailed information.

Don’t accept all interviews. focus on the one’s you will have the most impact.

Question 15

Détermine you strategy, what are the 3, close to open?

Answer 15

Hide
• Hope it will not come out/escalate
• Avoid to come on the radar

Reactive
• Be ready to respond
• Determine strategy based on media & public opinion pressure

Proactive
• Proactive contacts with stakeholders
• Stealing thunder

Question 16

Determine your strategy, positioning (level of (perceived) responsibility)

Answer 16

Page 68 des notes de cours

Question 17

Tools ?

Answer 17

o Guidelines receptionists
o Guidelines staff
o Media & social media monitoring
o Contact details database
o Press list
o Crisis room equipment

Question 18

Who to choose as a spokesperson?

Answer 18

It all depends on the crisis…
o Depending on the situation, a company can decide to appoint the following persons as spokesperson
• Press relations manager / permanent spokesperson
• Expert (technical / legal / financial /…)
• CEO
• Local manager
o It is the crisis management team’s responsibility to assign the appropriate spokesperson, taking into
account
• The track record of the company
• The level of responsibility the public opinion will assign to your organisation
• The emotional level of the situation
o Different spokespersons might be appointed according to the type of media
• Written / press agencies
• Radio
• TV
• Social media

Question 19

How to give a good media interview?

Answer 19

Set your objective!
Are you giving an interview
o To raise an issue / « steal thunder » (proactive) ?
o To make your voice heard (reactive) ?
o To restore your reputation (defensive) ?

=> Your objective will define your media strategy, your messaging and your tone of voice

Question 20

Préparation key for a good media interview

Answer 20

Preparation is key
o Who do you want to reach ?
o Through which channel ?
 Which media ?
 What is the set up ?
 Which journalist ? What is his / her state of mind ?
 What is he / she looking for ?
o What has already been said about the topic ?

Question 21

MESSAGE MAP: YOUR STORY SUMMED UP ON ONE PAGE

Answer 21

o Helps to prioritize key ideas, to develop the core concepts behind a specific topic
o Drives alignment by ensuring the same core messages are consistently repeated, regardless of the tactics
 Serves as foundation, blueprint for all communications on a certain topic in a certain domain
 Talking points (for speeches, interviews…)
 Marketing material
 Website copy
 Press releases
 PowerPoint presentations
 FAQs

Question 22

What do journalists want?

Answer 22

Réponse page 74 des notes

It is crucial to build a story with the right news value ingredients

How can I give news value to what I am saing.

Question 23

HOW TO ANSWER DIFFICULT QUESTIONS?

Answer 23

Build a bridge towards your key messages

Question 24

Is no verbal communication important?

Answer 24

Yes

Question 25

SOME KEY ELEMENTS TO REMEMBER

Answer 25

Good mindset
o Every question is an opportunity to give your messages
o Go for a message driven interview (rather than a question driven one)

Be prepared
o Environment
o Messages

Keep control
o Bridging
o Convincing body language

Question 26

Is the work over after the crisis?

Answer 26

Non

Question 27

From the response phase to the recovery phase

Answer 27

Page 77 des notes de cours

1- holding statement …

THE ONLY THING HARDER THAN PLANNING FOR AN EMERGENCY IS EXPLAINING WHY YOU DIDN’T…

Question 28

WHY IS CRISIS EVALUATION IMPORTANT?

Answer 28

o A crisis is a tremendous opportunity for learning: direct experience with a crisis, although painful, teaches more than even the best scenario ever could
o Evaluation is the key to improvement. One way to improve the crisis management process is by learning what the organization did right or wrong during a crisis
o The purposes of a good crisis evaluation are learning and improving crisis performance, not assigning blame
o Even organizations whose leadership believes that they are very transparent are usually surprised to learn about some of the flaws uncovered by a crisis audit

Question 29

What do you need to consider after the crisis?

Answer 29

During the debrief : decision making process, information gathering, group dynamics! Learning and points of improvement, additional needs.

Crisis management & organization
§ Management of the team
§ Roles and division of tasks
§ Coordination between teams
§ Respect for procedures
§ Decision making process

Information and validation flows
§ Identification and transmission of information
§ Examination of the facts
§ Maintain an overview of the situation
§ Logbook

Crisis communication
§ Identification of stakeholders
§ Communication strategy
§ Communication initiatives
§ Empathy

Tools & logistics
§ Tools & templates
§ Collaboration platforms
§ Logistics

Question 30

HOW TO ASSESS CRISIS EFFECTS?

Answer 30

• Data collection is the first step in any evaluation process. Evaluation data comes from crisis records (notifications, crisis-related messages, decisions and actions taken by the CMT), stakeholder feedback (both employees and external stakeholders), organizational performance measures, Internet comments, and media coverage

• Possible questions:
o Was important information not processed?
o Were stakeholder queries ignored?
o Were inappropriate messages sent to stakeholders?
• The CMT may choose to hire an independent consulting firm to collect the crisis
performance data

Question 31

HOW TO ASSESS CRISIS EFFECTS?
Three related elements are relevant to assessing crisis effects on reputation:

Answer 31

1. Pre- and post-crisis reputation scores
2. Media and Internet coverage of the crisis
3. Stakeholder feedback

Question 32

MEDIA AND INTERNET COVERAGE OF THE CRISIS

Answer 32

• Media frames refer to the success of placing the organization’s side of the story in the media. Media frame success is measured in two ways:

• A comparison of the amount of organizational frame material versus counter-frame materials in the media coverage (who was quoted more by the media: the organization or its critics?)

*The accuracy of the crisis-related information appearing in the media
• The duration of the crisis’s media coverage is also an important evaluative point. Effective crisis management tries to move a crisis out of the media. Once stakeholders have the facts, particularly the cause of the crisis, audience curiosity and interest fades
• Crisis managers should try to reduce, not increase, the newsworthiness of a crisis. A CMT has erred when its actions prolong the media coverage of the crisis

Question 33

STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK?

Answer 33

• Evaluators can determine which actions were effective or ineffective for specific stakeholder groups

• For example, investors might be happy with the crisis-related information given and how they received it, while the community may be disappointed with how they receive their information

Question 34

MOST COMMON MISTAKES?

Answer 34

MISTAKE #1: Blindly follow past successes in crisis communication – a crisis is never exacly the same as an other crisis, and the society context is maybe not the same if some years has past. You always have to adapt
MISTAKE #2: Play ostrich. Put your head in the sand and do nothing – even if you don’t know what is happening, you have to say something, saying nothing is no.
MISTAKE #3: Only start working on a crisis once it’s there, without any advance preparation
MISTAKE #4: Treating the media like an enemy
MISTAKE #5: Using technical jargon instead of straightforward and honest answers
MISTAKE #6: Keep the CEO out of view
MISTAKE #7: Use the wrong communication platform
MISTAKE #8: Waiting too long to remedy the crisis situation

Question 35

IN A NUTSHELL
• Post-crisis management is where it all begins…

Answer 35

o Pursue monitoring
o Analyse expectations and perceptions
o Analyse reputational damage
o Set up an action plan to rebuild reputation, internally & externally

Question 36

IN A NUTSHELL - Support your team

Answer 36

o Organize feedback sessions
o Organize work load and task forces
o Listen & offer psychological support

Question 37

IN A NUTSHELL - Adjust your crisis communication toolkit

Answer 37

o Evaluate the efforts of the CMT
o Optimise your crisis preparedness based on learnings