Conflict management Issues, Risks, Crises and Opportunities

Strategic Conflict Management Conflict is often central to our lives. Many times public relations entails influencing the course of a conflict to the benefit of an organization and its constituents. Many times PR professionals must make tough calls and advocate on behalf of their organization -- their employer -- their client.

Proactive Phase PR professionals can be proactive in preventing a conflict from arising or from getting out of hand. Environmental scanning: monitoring the landscape Issues Management/Issues Tracking

Strategic Phase PR professionals enter the strategic phase when an emerging conflict is identified as needing action. Risk Communication: Conflict Positioning: Crisis Management:

Reactive Phase Once the issue or conflict becomes critical to the organization, the PR professional reacts to events in external communications. Crisis communications Conflict resolution Litigation public relations

Recovery Phase Reputation Management Image Restoration

Issues Management Issue Identification Issue Analysis Strategy options Action Plan Evaluation

How to Communicate During a Crisis Put the public first Take responsibility Be honest Never say “no comment” Designate a single spokesperson Set up central information center Provide constant flow of communication

Communication Be familiar with the media and its needs Be accessible Monitor news coverage and telephone inquiries Communication with key publics