No Time to be Speechless
Another day, another headline about a violent crime against innocent people. You think it can’t get any worse. And then it does. Yesterday’s shooting inside the headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington is already in the Record Books: The deadliest mass shooting in the U. S. since Sandy Hook Elementary School. The worst shooting at a military installation since Fort Hood. In the days and months ahead, there will be many questions, revelations, accusations and second guessing. But I have no doubt that the Navy has a Crisis Communications Plan in place to deal with the media and more importantly, the court of public opinion.
It’s a critical moment for the Navy Crisis Public Relations Team and I don’t envy them one minute of it. The media frenzy surrounding this incident is already fast and furious, and if the basic rules of Crisis Communications are not followed, it could also be lengthy and debilitating.
How did someone circumvent high security at a military facility? What mental health issues could have prevented the shooter from getting a security clearance in the first place? Weren’t there warning signs that the shooter was “troubled,” “angry,” “depressed?” Could something have been done, something said, to prevent this tragedy?
Every crisis begs answers and accountability.
And there is always loss. It could be lives, reputations, property, money, security, innocence. Few are immune to its wrath when it strikes where you live.
The first order of business in a crisis situation is speaking with One Voice and identifying a leader to do so. It demands someone who can control the situation by telling what they know, and if necessary, taking responsibility for an omission and/or apologizing to those who are affected. And over the course of the crisis, it’s imperative to offer a reasonable plan of action to change or “right” the situation going forward.
Today’s socially connected world demands all of the above, as quickly as possible, as often as necessary, from someone perceived to be trustworthy and forthright.
The buzz word in communications today is “transparency” (it used to be called “truth”). The lawyers will tell you to choose your words carefully (especially if there is a need to issue an apology) and that’s their job. But there are countless examples of carefully worded statements that say nothing and only make things worse.
“No comment” is often the most damaging statement of all.
You never want to be in a situation where you learn something from the press that you didn’t know yourself.
Damage control begins and ends with a written Crisis Communications Plan for responding to real-time issues. Depending on the situation, it should identify the leader(s), outline the process, and eventually communicate clear, consistent messages that address the concerns of the appropriate constituents: families, employees, stockholders, customers, donors, whomever.
It needs to anticipate the 24-hour news cycle and should be designed to (1) contain the length of time the crisis is covered and (2) restore the situation to normalcy as quickly as possible.
Engagement is key (more now than ever). Social networks are the ideal platform for reporting crisis developments in real time and for quickly responding to concerns, rumor and innuendo.
Silence is never golden and will only serve to tarnish credibility while heightening and extending the negative media coverage.
It will be interesting to see the roles leadership, truth and empathy play as this tragic story unfolds.