COMMUNICATING IN A CRISIS: WORKING WITH THE MEDIA DR. TERENCE (TERRY) FLYNN, APR, FCPRS McMaster University SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

THE 7 DEADLY SINS OF CRISIS COMMUNICATION Unpreparedness: “It Can’t Happen” Syndrome Absence: Not Being on Site Immediately Ignorance: Not knowing the Audience Silence: Not Communicating Distance: Boardroom Bunker Mentality Fabrication: Anything But the Truth Naiveté: Thinking only short-term From the research on crisis communications and reputation management and from our experiences, these are the most common mistakes of organizations before, during and after crisis. Facilitator Notes: Elaborate and give examples of each.

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS The company’s mindset for anticipating and preparing for crises The ability to respond immediately to information requests The use of two-way communication with key stakeholders The strength of pre-crisis relationships with stakeholder groups (shadow stakeholders) Recent crisis communications research from the University of Maryland has indicated that these four factors point to successful responses. Culture of the organization/importance of communication. Elimination of barriers to responding. Ensuring a dialogue and not just a one-way flow of information. Build your relationships now.

PREPARE FOR THE UNANSWERABLE What went wrong? How did it happen? How could it happen? Who did it happen to? When did you know? Why didn’t you tell us sooner? Why should we believe you? Do you feel guilty? What other questions could you anticipate? At the early stages of a crisis, what answers are you likely to know? What answers will you not likely know at the early stages of a crisis?

TAKE CONTROL! “In the absence of information, misinformation becomes news.” “Misperceptions created by non-sources during the initial stages of a crisis remain with important publics and are difficult, if not impossible to change.”

WHO'S THE SPOKEPERSON? A decision-maker skilled in communications who: Understands the value of communications Knows and understands the organization Can effectively articulate difficult and sensitive issues Can express empathy and concern

"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAY-- IT'S HOW YOU SAY IT!" The 3 “I” Approach Image It’s not who you are. It’s who people perceive you to be! Impression You’re never given a second chance to create a first impression Integrity Actions speak louder than words! When it comes to presenting a credible response to a crisis, the public and the media look at these criteria.

WITH A CRISIS COMES THE MEDIA Provide a connection to your stakeholders Can deliver critical information to affected stakeholders – communities, families Will demand access and instant information Won’t wait for you to fill the information void – instant experts to provide comment The media plays an important role for us – they help us connect with our stakeholders, especially in times of crisis. But with that comes a responsibility on our part to assist them in getting information out.

JOURNALISTIC CONSTRAINTS Limited space or air time Limited sources of information Competing news priorities Lack of scientific or technical education Competitive editorial environment Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines This means that your communication with the media needs to be clear, concise and coherent.

YOUR ROLE? Be honest Help them do their job Avoid errors If you decide not to cooperate with the media; who loses? 1. Be Honest and Up-front Never lie, evade or mislead Don’t complexify… simplify! If you don’t know, say so. Don’t play favorites Respect the public’s right to know Don’t try to ‘bully’ the media Help them do their job Be aware of their deadlines and lead times; Be available; Give background information; Provide the right spokesperson Avoid Errors Provide printed backgrounders Put contact names, addresses, spellings, numbers, dates, etc. on paper Listen carefully to the questions Attempt to educate/inform the reporter Correct misinformation immediately DON’T USE JARGON

GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE MEDIA RELATIONS A + P² = C³ Understand the issue Anticipate the key questions Be prepared Develop and use your key messages Use bridging to focus on key messages Now that you have a better insight into the “game” – here are our five guidelines.

UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE Find out what the crisis is, when and where it happened. You won’t know why or how – don’t try to answer until you do / don’t speculate. Say what you know – actions that you are taking. Know the lay of the land – what are the key risk management issues. What’s your primary objective? Know what’s in the news – the media will sometimes know more than you What else is happening in the area? Are there any other health/environmental risk issues in the media? How’s the story playing at home?

BE PREPARED! Know what you want to say Know what you don’t want to say Expect the best - anticipate the worst question Learn your key messages Learn about your interviewer Consider the logistics of the interview

GET READY! Prepare for the following: What questions would you like them to ask? What questions do you not want them to ask? What questions haven’t you thought about? Why is Point 1 important? You can sometimes feed them questions. There are times when you might not be able to answer specific questions – when would that be? How do you achieve Point 3?

DEVELOPING YOUR MESSAGES Use “sound bites” (7 to 12 words) Make positive statements, without restating the negative Address underlying concern

ADDING CREDIBILITY TO YOUR KEY MESSAGES Involves telling a story or relating a personal reflection Includes a third-party reference

CRISIS/MEDIA TIPS TO REMEBER! Planning is critical. It will make or break you. Crises escalate because of confused, mismanaged or missed communications. Public perceptions are created by what is communicated. Be prepared for accelerating information. Cross reporting occurs – creating a frenzied atmosphere. You’ll get many questions that don’t yet have answers. An integrated risk management approach is critical. No accident is unforgivable -- only the response is.

Thank You For More Information: Dr. Terence (Terry) Flynn, APR, FCPRS tflynn@mcmaster.ca @terryflynn www.terryflynn.ca LinkedIn: Dr. Terence Flynn