Responding to a ship hijacking by Somali pirates, Tom Rozycki, SVP of Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek, had an intense two-month experience interacting with families of hostages and other stakeholders. Here are some tips learned from that experience:
1. Demand and establish a seat at the table with your client. Establish early on that you will treat all information as confidential, but that full access will ensure a better chance of communications success.
2. Quickly identify the key audiences. Crisis communications is as much about “who” you are talking to as “what” you are saying.
3. Assume your plan is always stale. Especially with lives in the balance, crisis plans can turn on a dime. Keep the team focused on the best possible outcome, but plan for the unexpected.
4. There is no substitute for a face-to-face meeting. High-pressured situations require hand-holding. Getting in front of stakeholders to reinforce your dedication and build trust is essential to maintaining goodwill and recruiting them as advocates.
5. Establish multiple—but appropriate—conduits. Information is the best weapon in a crisis situation. Sharing all you can, when you can, will empower the parties involved and build goodwill toward a successful resolution.
6. Constantly re-manage expectations. Admitting that you do not have all the answers, but updating stakeholders as you progress, will not only win converts, but remind audiences that you are fully invested in the process.