Inside Intelligence (Business Practices): Crisis Communications & The Silver Bullet

Crisis Communications & The Silver Bullet

Ever wonder why the Titanic sank? 

Those in a position to address the problem before it became the worst sea disaster of the 20^th Century chose denial and pretense over confronting the flaw head on.  Corporate competition, unregulated industry and the demand to emerge with the biggest and the best were at the root of the disaster. http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/10/03/the-titanic-s-last-secret.html

The net results of the Titanic’s travail spin the perfect storm for lessons in crisis communications. Decades after the ship sank, the story is still being told.

A recent post on crisis communications urged “four Cs”  – being quick to Communicate, Candid, keeping things in Context and striving for Consistency.   

http://www.prsa.org/Intelligence/Tactics/Articles/view/9305/1034/Being_creative_in_the_face_of_crisis_How_innovatio

Beyond those cautionary tools, the silver bullet is a fifth C: Contrition. 

I always watch in amazement when crisis blow up in the media.  The individual or organization in the center of the storm seems trapped in a typhoon that whirls around and tosses them and their reputation in the air like a hapless rag doll.

Slick tactics and innovative moves can’t replace the low-tech, high touch power of humility. The calm in the storm is true confession (the sixth C), not flailing efforts to parse the truth or cover up one lie with new ones. When your hands are caught in the cookie jar it’s too late to wipe away the crumbs. Looking adversity in the eye, admitting to the transgression and taking the hit for the deed that was done is the best way to de-fang opponents, change the subject and then move on.  “I was wrong” is usually the silver bullet.  The human nature of public opinion is generally kind.  Only a brute dares to kick someone when their down, especially after waving a white flag and uttering the refrain: “I’m sorry.”  

Back to the business of crisis communication.  The most effective pros collect their fees, not because of smoke and mirrors, but because the bad stuff never surfaced in the public eye, or only resided there for a moment. Good crisis communications is the art of maintaining the status quo.