At a recent national conference about crisis management, I asked the room: “How many of you have a crisis management team?”
Almost 100% of hands went up. Then, the follow up: “How many of you have a strategic crisis plan?” Only half the room raised their hands.
Most companies preemptively think about who leads in a crisis and might even have a plan. But is it truly strategic, following specific processes and finely detailed? Have they imagined all the potential scenarios? Have they considered all the risks?
Wide-Ranging Crisis Failure
My recent experience with this audience is consistent with data. Research from Capterra and a survey published in Forbes shows that only 49% of companies have a formal crisis plan. And less than 25% of companies practice those crisis plans and conduct active drills.
One example to learn from is the basis for Delta Airlines’ lawsuit against CrowdStrike—in which a major platform outage caused many days of economic and reputational loss for Delta, and CrowdStrike’s countersuit. This situation emphasizes the need for companies to anticipate vendor disputes, service failures, the legal ramifications and the potential negative PR affecting brand trust and reputation.
Healthcare and Strategic Communications
The COVID-19 outbreak is a definitive case of a an unexpected crisis. But my firm’s experience with Naples Comprehensive Health during that challenging period serves as a case study of how strategic communications preparedness is imperative to restoring order and confidence—internally and externally. It showed how a disrupted company and community can heal wounds and rebuild trust during a crisis.
NCH faced a leadership crisis during the biggest healthcare emergency the United States had ever seen. It also was enduring severe backlash from the community and physicians due to policy changes. Protests, media scrutiny, and declining hospital morale and finances resulted, while the pandemic caused additional strain on the hospital and its staff. The organization dismissed top executives and brought in new leadership to establish collaboration and transparency.
Establishing a Strong Strategic Foundation for Crisis Response
Here are a few key steps to a strategic communication process that provide a strong foundation during a crisis:
- Strategic planning: A strong research, data, and planning foundation is needed to craft any company’s message and brand strategies. On day one, we began accumulating information and studying the organization’s communications with an eye on developing a strategy to create a strong relationship with the physicians and the community.
- Detail-oriented approach: Every detail matters in a crisis. Every minute impacts the brand's reputation. Include specific elements such as vendor contract reviews, telephone matrices, and regulatory considerations in crisis plans. Incorporate unlikely and complex scenarios in crisis planning to better anticipate potential threats such as cyberattacks, technological failures or legal disputes.
- Cross-functional teams: Build a cross-functional, integrated crisis management team. Include stakeholders from risk, compliance, IT, marketing, communications and external partners to ensure every perspective is addressed. Create annual drills for the least likely and most complicated scenarios that will ensure a brand doesn’t suffer severe damage to its reputation when the crisis hits.
- Solid media relations: The goal of solid media relations is fairness. Throughout the upheaval we experienced during COVID, reporters in the Naples media were pleased with the total access given to them, responding to inquiries immediately. When an organization is experiencing a crisis but doesn't comment about it, the lack of response can convey guilt. Under most circumstances, organizations should respond to every press inquiry immediately, with accurate information and zero spin. We wanted every citizen to have full access to all information about this healthcare threat, and we published that information daily on the NCH website. Sharing every bit of information, except what was not permitted due to privacy laws, was testimony of full engagement with the needs of the region.
When leaders adopt a people-first, mission-driven approach, it will keep an organization strong and cohesive during turbulent times.
Amanda R. Lucey is the CEO of The Partnership, Atlanta’s oldest privately held marketing and brand communications agency, established in 1979. She’s also the co-author of "Upheaval: Crafting A Culture & Managing Your Message Through A Crisis."