If everyday media training requires careful planning of messages and solid proof points, Risk and Crisis Communications ups the ante on the need for planned, focused and fact-supported communications. Whether it's a product recall, environmental issue,
terrorism or labor dispute, it's critical to develop and think through messages.
"In a crisis or emotionally charged situation, people's capacity to process information typically is reduced by 80%," says Joe Wojtecki, senior fellow at the Center for Risk Communications. While a spokesperson thinks he is communicating clear, objective
information, the audience may not be listening (or even capable of hearing due to the level of emotional involvement) or responding.
Wojtecki and others who conduct research and practice in the field of Risk Communications advise clients against getting caught up in the heat of the moment.
Rather, they advise their clients to be "concise, clear and brief." This tracks with the general rules of Media Communications that a few messages, delivered frequently, is much better than a laundry list of messages scored only once. And when communicators are
responding to questions from the press, regulators and the public, this means finding opportunities to "bridge" back to the critical points.
The Center for Risk Communications applies additional discipline to the creation of messages. They use a term called a "Message Map." Wojtecki and colleagues try to confine risk communications to three key messages. Each message has three levels. The first
level is the top line message. Second are facts that support the key messages. The third level of a key message consists of proof points that can be used if a spokesperson is challenged on the facts.
To teach the concept and the need for discipline, Wojtecki quotes Julius Caesar: "Veni, Vidi, Vici." "I came. I saw. I conquered." Using the formula, the first key message (circa 47 BC) was: "I came." One probable supporting fact: The journey was long and hard.
If pressed, the proof points could be the number of days traveled by Caesar's troops, the height of the mountains and the depth of the valleys. Second supporting fact: We suffered heavy losses along the way. Proof points here would include: the number of troops who
fell ill or were injured, as well as the scarcity of food and water.
The same level of detail can be provided for "I saw" and "I conquered." For the communicator in risk communications, this process can be very powerful. It allows for broad statements that address the emotional aspects of an issue, but each one is backed up by
verifiable facts.
Wojtecki says that when he's running a message map session he wants to have three groups represented: subject matter experts who know the facts and the various levels of proof points; managers who can make decisions, and communicators who will deliver the
messages.
The Message Map process is hard work. It goes much further than expressing care and concern - two essential elements of public and media communications in a crisis. In a communications world where preparation is critical, the Message Map can pay
dividends.
Map It Out
In working with my own clients, the Message Map process helps in two ways:
- The Message Map process helps communicators get and keep a seat at the table. All too often, the communicator is told to deliver messages without being part of the process from the get-go. The Message Map is driven by communications and other
disciplines - law, regulatory, financial and engineering - that are impressed by its fact-based approach and rigor. - The Message Map can also be employed by a communicator to make it easier to not answer every conceivable question that comes up in a crisis or risk communications situation. These situations are driven by reporters looking to break a story by asking lots of
"what if's?" Communicators who have learned their lessons not to answer hypothetical questions often feel they don't provide enough information to reporters and the public. Having a few, well-documented messages that all have agreed on will instill more confidence
in the media that the organization actually has something valuable to say.
Contact: Andy Gilman is president of Washington, DC-based CommCore Consulting. He can be reached at 202.659.4177; [email protected]