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Ch7CrisisCommunicationWeek4LessonsonEffectiveCrisisLeadership.pptxEffective Crisis Communication
Chapter 7 Lessons on Effective Crisis Leadership
Ulmer, R., Sellnow, T., and Seeger, M. (2019). Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA.
Lesson 1 Effective Crisis Leadership is Critical
Business, political, religious, or social, we look to our leaders.
Leadership involves times of “Crisis, Change, and Innovation”
Leadership Characteristics
Leadership is a process – ongoing and changing
Leadership involves influencing follower behavior and perceptions
Leadership occurs in groups, organizations or community contexts
Leadership is directed toward important goals and outcomes
Lesson 2 Leaders Should be Visible During a Crisis
Tendency is to withdraw and circle the wagons – Media spotlight can be hot
Doing so creates more uncertainty and suspicion
Should be visible to employees, community and media
Oversee responses and help others cope
Explain what is happening, create understanding, and show others how to respond moving forward
Strategies
Recognize you must face the media
If you are open, honest and courteous, reporters will respond the same
Be sure to express concern and empathy for those harmed by the crisis
Lesson 3 Leaders Should Develop a Positive Company Reputation During Normal Times to Build a Reservoir of Goodwill
85% of consumers have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a charity, they care about
83% of Americans wish more of the products and services they use would support charities
80% of Americans are likely to switch brands (equal in quality and price), to the one that supports a charity
Supporting charities is the most trusted activity that makes a huge difference in how your business is viewed
Consumers view responsible brands as trustworthy and ethical, and they’re more willing to give money to the companies they trust
https://www.mageworx.com/blog/donations-benefit-for-ecommerce/
Goodwill can be built through charitable activity.
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Lesson 4 Leaders Should be Open and Honest Following a Crisis
Can be difficult, especially if the organization has done wrong
Attorneys will caution – Statements can be used against the organization
Failure to be open and honest can make things worse
Media is more aggressive
Public becomes more suspicious
Negative stakeholders gain
Lesson 5 Leaders Who Are Successful in Crises May Create Opportunities for Renewal
Opportunity to change fundamental operations and activities
Rebuild facilities and modernize
Increase visibility of the organization
Emerge leaner, stronger, and more profitable
Lesson 6 Leaders Should Cooperate with Stakeholders During Crises and Work to Build Consensus
Remember from Chapter 3, Primary and Secondary Stakeholder Relationships or Partnerships can be:
Positive
Ambivalent
Nonexistent
Negative
Lesson 7 Poor Leadership (Cover-ups, Denials, etc…) Can Make a Crisis Worse
Denial, Cover-up, or blame shifting can cause more damage
Failure to act
Fails to fix the problem
Shows lack of care and only concern for profits
Portrays avoiding blame as a key issue
Lesson 8 Leaders Must Adapt Their Styles and Contingencies During Crises
Examples of Leadership Styles
Contingency Leadership
Authoritarian Leadership
Transformational Leadership
Lesson 9 A Virtuous Response By Leaders May Be The Most Effective in Generating Support and Renewal
Virtues – A predisposition to act in a positive or ethical way
Commitment to do the right thing
Generates more support from stakeholders
Makes organization more defensible
Enhances the organization’s reputation
Can help a company to renew itself
Lesson 10 Leaders Have Specific Communication Obligations & Duties for Managing AND Learning from Crises
Must Communicate Effectively.
Many CEO’s undergo media training.
6 Principles of STARCC
Simple messages
Timely messages
Accuracy
Relevant
Credible
Consistent
Don’t let the media push you into answers
Express concern for any harmed
Avoid “No comment”
If you don’t have the answer, admit it, but explain you are working to find the answer
Don’t speak with certainty unless you know ALL of the facts
If uncertain, use phrases like “We don’t have all the facts yet” or “The situation is evolving”
DO NOT HESITATE to involve others on the crisis team when you don’t know the answer
References
Yantsan, E. (2020). 5 ways supporting charities can benefit your business. Retrieved from https://www.mageworx.com/blog/donations-benefit-for-ecommerce/
