Sooner or later, every business will find itself facing some kind of crisis. Whether it’s a massive data breach, devastating natural disaster, product recall, executive scandal or global pandemic, major catastrophes can strike unexpectedly and threaten serious damage. When the stakes are high, how leaders communicate before, during and after a crisis can make or break a company’s reputation and future prospects.

Mess up your messaging when disaster strikes, and you may permanently lose the trust of customers, destroy relationships with key partners, crater your stock price or watch employee morale plummet. But handle communications strategically, and you have a fighting chance to weather even the worst storms.

In this guide, I’ll share proven strategies to help you communicate effectively during turbulent times. You’ll learn how to assemble the right crisis response team, craft smart holding statements, choose communication channels wisely, take responsibility for missteps, reassure nervous stakeholders and more. Follow these best practices for crisis communications, and your company can maintain credibility even amid chaos. Let’s dive in!

Define What Constitutes a Crisis

The first step is recognizing what kinds of situations warrant enacting crisis communication protocols. While each organisation will have its own definition of a crisis, some common triggering events include:

• Product recalls
• Data breaches  
• Cyber attacks
• Executive scandals
• Lawsuits and litigation
• Regulatory fines or sanctions
• Labour strikes or walkouts
• Supply chain disruptions
• Severe weather events
• Pandemics
• Financial distress 

The unifying thread is that these events threaten significant damage to the company’s finances, reputation, business operations, workforce or properties. Left unchecked and mismanaged, they can quickly spiral out of control.  

Effective crisis planning identifies these risks ahead of time and establishes procedures for rapid response when they do occur. This includes designating roles on the crisis team, drafting preliminary statements, and monitoring media channels to get ahead of the story.

Assemble Your Crisis Communication Team

Every company should have a cross-functional crisis response team in place before disaster strikes. This team is responsible for managing communications across all stakeholders when a crisis emerges. 

Include senior leaders from:

• Communications/PR
• Legal
• HR
• Investor relations  
• Security
• Operations
• Product/engineering
• Customer service
• Risk management
• IT/cybersecurity 

The team should have a designated crisis leader, often the Chief Communications Officer, who serves as the main spokesperson. Depending on the circumstances, the CEO may also need to be highly visible and deliver important messaging. 

Each member of the team needs to understand their specific role and responsibilities during a crisis. This should be documented in a crisis management plan. Cross-train team members so that someone can fill in if a key leader is unavailable or directly implicated in the situation.

The team must be ready to act 24/7 and at a moment’s notice. Establish protocols for activating the team and have redundant methods for contacting them during off-hours. Schedule periodic simulations to test your readiness.

Craft Initial Holding Statements  

When disaster strikes, you won’t have the luxury of time in preparing your communications. That’s why it’s critical to have initial holding statements ready that can immediately go out when a crisis hits. 

These should acknowledge the situation, express concern, promise more information soon, and reassure stakeholders that the issue is being addressed. They buy you time to assess the situation before making definitive statements.

Here are key elements to include in your holding statements:

– We are aware of the [crisis event] and are looking into it. 

– We take this issue very seriously and areworking urgently to gather more information.

– We will provide another update by [timeframe].

– Rest assured that our top priority is the safety and well-being of [people impacted].

– We are doing everything in our power to contain the situation and prevent further issues.

– We apologize for any inconvenience/disruption/concern this has caused.

– Additional details will be forthcoming as we investigate.

Have templates for holding statements ready to go for your most likely crisis scenarios. They provide an immediate script until you can craft more nuanced messaging. Buy time with your initial statements, but follow up within the promised timeframe—silence breeds speculation.

Gather Facts and Determine Next Steps

After releasing your holding statements, immediately investigate the crisis to understand the who, what, when, where, why and how.

– What exactly happened? How severe is the damage? Could it have been prevented? Who is at fault?

– How many internal staff and external stakeholders are impacted?

– Is there ongoing risk or has the incident been contained? 

– What regulatory or legal liabilities do we face?

– How will this affect our financial position and outlook?

The answers will dictate your next communication steps. Be sure to:

– Document everything in writing, including timelines and decision-making processes. 

– Avoid speculation—stick to facts you can confirm.

– Discuss next moves with your legal team to protect against liability.

– Weigh whether to bring in outside PR help for an impartial perspective.

– Alert your board of directors and get their input on messaging.

As soon as possible, hold an all-hands meeting with the crisis team to alignment on next communication steps.

Adapt Messaging as the Situation Evolves

The narrative will change rapidly during a crisis, demanding that you constantly adapt and adjust your messaging. Setting the record straight will require multiple statements over hours, days or weeks.

– As new facts emerge, update statements with the latest confirmed information.

– If the impact worsens, express greater concern, empathy and commitment to resolution.

– If the situation improves, transition messaging to focus on the path forward.

Avoid speculation, exaggeration and jumping to conclusions in the rush to respond. Your messaging should reflect the known facts at the time.

Make sure all internal and external communication reflects the latest guidance from the crisis team. Empower employees to be ambassadors, but urge discretion until official statements are made.

Choose Communication Channels Wisely

In a crisis, how you deliver your messages is just as important as what you say. Ensure your channels match the urgency.

For employees:

– Send an immediate notification via email, text and internal communication platforms. Follow up with regular email updates, town halls and FAQs.

– Equip managers to hold team discussions and address concerns.

– Make your crisis team visible and accessible via hotlines, virtual office hours and active solicitation of feedback. 

For media: 

– Proactively push press releases and statements rather than waiting for media inquiries. Share updates frequently.

– Designate media spokespeople for TV and print interviews. Choose spokespeople based on public sentiment.

– Require all media contacts to go through PR/communications for consistency. Avoid letting executives go rogue.

For stakeholders:

– Post crisis-related info prominently on your website, social channels and anywhere visibility is urgent. 

– Send emails, letters, push notifications via your app or text messages depending on the recipient.

– For high-stakes crises, announce a stakeholder call with Q&A.

For the public:

– Release your most visible statements via press releases and posts on social media, especially Twitter. 

– Put up website banners linking to a crisis microsite with FAQs, details, updates, and contact info. 

– Advertise your hotlines and designate PR reps to monitor and respond to social conversations.

Choose channels that will reach your audience and allow two-way dialogue where possible. Avoid silent, one-way communication.

Be Transparent and Honest 

There will be temptation in a crisis to whitewash, cover up, or delay communication in hopes of controlling the narrative. Avoid this. The truth always comes out eventually, multiplying the damage.

Commit to transparency from the start. Admit what you know, acknowledge uncertainty where it exists, and debunk falsehoods. If the public perceives you as honest and proactive, you gain goodwill during the crisis recovery.

Specifically:  

– If mistakes were made or suspicions raised, investigate immediately, own up and correct them.

– Disclose the risks and potential damages in a truthful, non-speculative way. Don’t sugarcoat or downplay.

– If your response is still developing, say so. Pledge regular progress reports.

– Share what you are doing to contain the crisis and prevent repeat issues.

Rebuilding trust starts with transparency. Even if the facts reflect poorly on your business, own them.

Express Empathy and Concern

No matter the circumstances of the crisis, there are real human beings impacted, worried and suffering.

Communicate in a way that shows genuine empathy, compassion and humanity. This applies whether you’re addressing employees, customers or the broader public.

– Recognize emotions like anxiety, grief, anger and uncertainty. 

– Assure people that their feelings are valid and you want to understand.

– Spotlight how people have come together to support each other during adversity.

– Thank people for voicing their concerns and promise to address them.

Forming emotional connections will bolster your other crisis communication efforts.

Take Responsibility and Apologize if Necessary

Avoid the temptation to deflect blame or make excuses if the crisis traces back to your company’s behaviors.

Take ownership, admit fault and sincerely apologize. This neutralizes public outrage faster than denying responsibility. Promise corrective actions so it won’t happen again.

– Use we/our language to signal shared accountability. Say “we apologise” not “the company apologizes”.

– If public safety was endangered, apologize first before any other message.

– Don’t speculate about fault or liability. Stick to known facts.

– For minor crises, show humility by apologizing for any distress caused, even if unintentional. 

People are quick to forgive when they see as responsible, well-intentioned and working to improve. Sincere apologies go a long way.

Avoid Speculation and Blame 

The raw emotions of a crisis create strong urges to fill information voids by speculating, oversimplifying or assigning blame prematurely. Resist doing this.

Stick to confirmed facts. If the causes are unclear or under investigation, say so transparently. Refrain from finger pointing until fault is fully established. 

Speculation causes rumors that are hard to eradicate once they spread. Always confirm details before releasing them. If people pressure you to comment on unverified theories, deflect by focusing on your resolution efforts.

Adopting a blameless, cooperative tone avoids inflaming tensions at a volatile time.            

Speak with One Voice

Mixed messages and contradictory statements from different reps will strain public trust and cast doubt on your leadership. 

To maintain consistency:

– Designate a limited number of spokespeople (ideally one main rep).

– Require all public communications to go through this rep.

– Equip call center reps with approved statements when fielding inquiries.  

– Coordinate message timing with relevant departments like PR, legal and HR.

– Clarify that leaders should not comment publicly without approval.

Enforce that external comms reflect guidance from the crisis team, even if leaders disagree privately. Present a unified front to strengthen your position. 

Reassure Stakeholders

Crisis situations disrupt operations and normalize anxiety. Nervous stakeholders will overreact without credible reassurance. 

Communicate to alleviate concerns and instill confidence.

For employees:

– Affirm that their jobs, pay and benefits are safe. 

– Outline how daily work may be impacted and what is business as usual.

– Share employee assistance resources like counseling or emergency aid.

For customers: 

– Explain how service levels may be affected short term. 

– Promise communications on delivery delays or interruptions.

– Provide guidance on workaround options to still do business.

For investors:

– Disclose potential downside scenarios, and your mitigation plans.

– If possible, reiterate longer term growth forecasts and targets.

– Frame the crisis as temporary if resolution is achievable. 

For partners:

– Proactively inform partners of changes that may disrupt their operations.

– Reassure that the partnership remains strong despite the crisis.

– Solicit input on adjustments you can make to limit their impact.

Your steady hand will give stakeholders confidence.

Keep Communicating After the Crisis Passes

The end of the crisis is not the end of communication. How you conduct yourself afterward also affects reputation recovery.

– Thank stakeholders for sticking by you. Recognize the efforts of employees who worked tirelessly to resolve the situation.  

– Summarize lessons learned and lay out processes to avoid repeat issues.

– Honor any promises made during the crisis, like compensation for losses or improved safeguards.  

– Monitor media and social channels for lingering misinformation and correct it.

– Evaluate crisis team performance to improve response next time.

When spirits are high post-crisis, solidify the feelings by reinforcing your commitments, expressing gratitude and focusing on the future.

Conclusion

Effective crisis management combines speed, agility, sincerity and transparency. Your communication before, during and after disasters shapes how your company weathers the storm.

By assembling the right team, sticking to facts, expressing empathy, taking responsibility and reassuring stakeholders, leaders can maintain trust even amid chaos. While crises inflict short term wounds, they present opportunities to prove your character and strengthen bonds for the long term.

With planning and discipline, even the darkest storms can be navigated. But it all starts with the credibility established through open, honest communication. By following these best practices, your company will emerge on the other side with integrity intact.