One way to test the strength of a brand is through their ability to show resilience and profound grit during times of crisis, whether or not it ensued internally or externally. Funnily enough, no matter how perfect an organisation may seem, in between their discharge of service is the appearance of some friction that may have the potential to jeopardise the integrity of the organisation. A crisis is therefore almost inevitable in today’s business climate. This crisis may be internal or external; regardless of its form, effective communication is the only way for a better resolution: improving employee morale, strengthening the company’s value, and ensuring overall stability. This challenge is what thought leaders find themselves stuck, hence the need for developing exceptional strategic crisis communication skills. These skills, tailored according to specific businesses, would equip business leaders on how to manage crises without a fall for better brand face value. This article therefore explores strategic crisis communication cues and how they can contribute to a significant impact for business leaders to implement.
Concept of crisis
Operationally defined, a crisis is an ugly experience characterised by a disturbing series of events that causes a significant shift in an organisation’s operation flow due to conflicting issues that may arise unexpectedly. This is usually met with immediate crucial decisions and the expectation of undesired outcomes. Combs (2019) adds that a crisis can be seen as a toxin that fearlessly poses threats to the reputation, objectives, and sustainability of a business. Crises come in diverse categories, including natural disasters, technological mishaps, human conflict, and organisational recklessness or mismanagement, all of which demand a peculiar strategy for a peaceful and fruitful resolution. Pearson and Clair (1998) further emphasise that the presence of crisis inadvertently creates a high degree of tension that resorts to urgency and uncertainty, if not handled wisely, might land into irreparable damage. As much as a crisis is inimical to the health of a business, it somewhat serves as a test to all of the hard work an organisation has put in to actualise a formidable structure.
The challenges business leaders face during crises are enormous, based basically on effective management of communication. The need to disseminate accurate information regarding a crisis is one major challenge facing business owners. Because of the unexpected outbursts of a crisis, there’s always little or no time to thoroughly express this to the public (internal and external). When this information isn’t adequately disclosed, the swish of misinformation comes raining, causing more confusion to stakeholders and the overall credibility of an organisation.
In the mesh of everything flying around, organisations battle with maintaining transparency even when some sensitive information ought to be concealed. As a business owner, it’s difficult to juggle transparency and secrecy, as both variables are dicey. As a result, this risk, if not handled professionally, ends up furthering complications and severe repercussions. As proof, Deloitte submits in 2021 that 60 percent of businesses faced regulatory scrutiny during crises due to inadequate communication practices.
Another challenge business owners go through is managing the expectations levels of stakeholders associated with their brand. Stakeholders here include employees, customers, investors, and then the public. Expectation levels among these stakeholders are high in times of crisis, making business owners clueless on the steps to address their concerns and anxiety, as an inability to effectively convince the stakeholder can result in a lack of trust and credibility.
When crisis beckons in an organisation, many times, business owners are left nonplussed on how to navigate the process. Some may go silent and never address the issues, allowing them to metastasise into irredeemable situations. Others may speak up but do so in the most unstructured, unprofessional, and distasteful way, giving more opportunities for the crisis to linger. These challenges are always thorough and multifaceted in nature, proven to truncate the efficacy of most business leaders. However, effective communication skills that combine strategic planning, creativity, transparency, and spontaneity can be used to subvert these threats.
Solutions
Business leaders can adopt the following strategies needed to mitigate crisis situations:
-Communication plan: When faced with any situation that resembles the fashion of a crisis, the first step to take is to design a comprehensive communication plan that would cater for every action that resorts to ensuring resolution. This is an overall plan that puts together the necessary lines of action to disseminate information through reliable channels, reaching both internal and external stakeholders.
-Formation of a crisis management team: A crisis communication team, including public relations, HR, and psychologists, should be established to execute the plan effectively. Outsourcing may be necessary for better dedication. The Institute for Public Relations states that robust crisis communication plans can reduce reputation damage and accelerate recovery times. The team should ensure messages are consistent, clear, and accurate, and keep stakeholders informed through various channels like social media, email, newsletters, press releases, and internal memos.
Another duty of the crisis management team is to ensure that transparency and empathy are felt across all levels of the communication process. Because transparency is a tool for building trust and strengthening relationships, it’s important that the team is objectively open about why, when, who, where, and how things are executed the way they are.
-Technology and social media: The world is wild and present with technology, such that, from this end, news is spread just with a click. In crises, technology and the media are pivotal. Social media gives real-time updates and could be utilised to exacerbate situations. On the other hand, mastery of this technology can be used as an advantage. Knowing that content varies according to context and medium points clearly the ways to win through a crisis situation. Social media channels need to be updated not with a sense of desperation but with a tone of officiality poised to maintain integrity and standard. Over time, you’ll see that the social media update and control helped to gauge and tilt public sentiments on the issue at hand and even emerging ones.
-Fostering the culture of resilience and preparedness: When employees are regularly trained and exposed to crisis management and a real-time crisis situation takes a toll on the organisation, there would be a proactive approach to ensuring that the crisis is resolved or better managed. Employees become more swift in adapting to changes and possess strict alignment with their professional commitment.
If these strategies are carefully implemented, crisis communication can be effectively handled by business leaders, improving trust and overall credibility.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, it’s now crystal clear that business leaders are suppressed with communication barriers. Effective communication is therefore crucial for crisis management, enabling the maintenance of an organisation’s reputation, enhancement of organisational resilience, stakeholder engagement, internal cohesion, and assured regulatory compliance, among many other things. Coaches are hereby urged to direct beneficial strategies to their clients in order to achieve more wins amidst different forms of crisis.
Oladipupo Timothy Clement is a highly accomplished Real Estate and Business Coach with a career spanning over two decades. He is the Founder and CEO of Lifepage®️ Property & Investments Limited, a leading real estate company in Nigeria.
