crisis plan cop

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Crisis Communications Crisis Communications Plan Plan A 10-Step Plan for A 10-Step Plan for Identifying Crisis Issues Identifying Crisis Issues and Developing a Response and Developing a Response

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Page 1: Crisis Plan Cop

Crisis Communications PlanCrisis Communications Plan

A 10-Step Plan for Identifying Crisis A 10-Step Plan for Identifying Crisis Issues and Developing a ResponseIssues and Developing a Response

Page 2: Crisis Plan Cop

Why We Need a PlanWhy We Need a Plan

– To help us:To help us: Involve the right teams and staff membersInvolve the right teams and staff members Conduct research we need to be preparedConduct research we need to be prepared Focus on achievable goalsFocus on achievable goals Assess effectiveness and improveAssess effectiveness and improve

Page 3: Crisis Plan Cop

Action/Decision PointsAction/Decision Points

There are several major action points and There are several major action points and decision points throughout the Crisis decision points throughout the Crisis Communication Plan.Communication Plan.

Action Point: Action Point: ▲▲

Decision Point: Decision Point:

Page 4: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 1—Identifying the CrisisSTEP 1—Identifying the Crisis

What is a crisis? How What is a crisis? How is it different from the is it different from the fires we put out fires we put out everyday?everyday?

Page 5: Crisis Plan Cop

An event or series of events caused by or An event or series of events caused by or otherwise involving your company that could:otherwise involving your company that could:

Cause injury or death;Cause injury or death; Do significant harm to the environment;Do significant harm to the environment; Profoundly interrupt business operations; orProfoundly interrupt business operations; or Cause deep damage to the reputation of the Cause deep damage to the reputation of the

company, its brand or its people.company, its brand or its people.– Manning, Selvage & Lee Public RelationsManning, Selvage & Lee Public Relations

Page 6: Crisis Plan Cop

Crisis BarometerCrisis Barometer

Page 7: Crisis Plan Cop

Assessing ImpactAssessing Impact

Is the situation highly visible?Is the situation highly visible? How quickly would it escalate in intensity?How quickly would it escalate in intensity? Would it have a major impact on the Would it have a major impact on the

organization or its reputation?organization or its reputation? Would it have a major financial impact? Would it have a major financial impact?

Could it involve costly civil litigation?Could it involve costly civil litigation? Does it involve human health or public Does it involve human health or public

safety?safety?

Page 8: Crisis Plan Cop

Binocular MeetingsBinocular Meetings

▲▲YouYou should hold quarterly “binocular should hold quarterly “binocular meetings” (involving all managers) meetings” (involving all managers) --Look three months to a year out--Look three months to a year out--Identify potential crisis situations--Identify potential crisis situations--Plot their Probability Factor and Crisis --Plot their Probability Factor and Crisis Impact Value.Impact Value.

Management should discuss and determine Management should discuss and determine whether the issues surfaced at “binocular whether the issues surfaced at “binocular meetings” truly rise to the crisis level.meetings” truly rise to the crisis level.

Page 9: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 2—HANDLING STEP 2—HANDLING IMMEDIATE CRISESIMMEDIATE CRISES

How soon will the crisis hit? Next week? How soon will the crisis hit? Next week? Next month? Three to six months? Don’t Next month? Three to six months? Don’t know?know?

If the crisis is already under way or If the crisis is already under way or imminent, you will need an initial responseimminent, you will need an initial response—a FAST ANSWER!—a FAST ANSWER!

The public may expect a response, whether The public may expect a response, whether you have the whole story or not.you have the whole story or not.

Page 10: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 3—ASSEMBLE THE CRISIS STEP 3—ASSEMBLE THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAMMANAGEMENT TEAM

Avoid “huddling and clumping” or “inner Avoid “huddling and clumping” or “inner circle” syndromecircle” syndrome

Give serious thought to each team’s Give serious thought to each team’s resources and abilitiesresources and abilities

Ensure that all staff members with Ensure that all staff members with something to contribute to the plan’s something to contribute to the plan’s execution are involvedexecution are involved

Management must decide who is on the Management must decide who is on the crisis management team.crisis management team.

Page 11: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 4—RESEARCHSTEP 4—RESEARCH

What are the appropriate messages to send What are the appropriate messages to send about the crisis?about the crisis?

Who are the audiences we should target?Who are the audiences we should target? Which messages work better for which Which messages work better for which

audiences?audiences? What are other groups saying or doing?What are other groups saying or doing? What are the most effective communication What are the most effective communication

tools to use?tools to use?

Page 12: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 5—SWOTSTEP 5—SWOT

▲ ▲ The crisis team will use secondary and The crisis team will use secondary and primary research to analyze strengths, primary research to analyze strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis).(SWOT analysis).

The crisis team also will use the research to The crisis team also will use the research to identify potential allies and adversaries, and identify potential allies and adversaries, and determine how that information fits into determine how that information fits into opportunities or threats.opportunities or threats.

Page 13: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 6—GOAL SETTINGSTEP 6—GOAL SETTING

The crisis team will set measurable goals The crisis team will set measurable goals for the crisis communication planfor the crisis communication plan

--Helps guide implementation--Helps guide implementation

--Enables the organization to monitor --Enables the organization to monitor progress and evaluate resultsprogress and evaluate results

Page 14: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 7—MESSAGE STEP 7—MESSAGE DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

What are the best messages for your target What are the best messages for your target audiences?audiences?

What are the best PR tactics to deliver those What are the best PR tactics to deliver those messages to those audiences?messages to those audiences?

Day 1, Day 2-7 and Week 2-4 messagesDay 1, Day 2-7 and Week 2-4 messages

Page 15: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 8—WRITING THE PLANSTEP 8—WRITING THE PLAN

▲ ▲ The crisis team will document all decisions and The crisis team will document all decisions and incorporate them into a written plan.incorporate them into a written plan.--Plan will spell out which staff members are --Plan will spell out which staff members are responsible for which actionsresponsible for which actions--All staff members with responsibilities will have --All staff members with responsibilities will have copies of the plancopies of the plan--The plan will include a phone tree with day, --The plan will include a phone tree with day, evening/weekend contact info.evening/weekend contact info.--The plan must outline a primary contact to begin --The plan must outline a primary contact to begin putting the plan into action.putting the plan into action.

Page 16: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 9--EXECUTIONSTEP 9--EXECUTION

▲ “▲ “Flip the switch”Flip the switch”

--FOLLOW THE PLAN! – --FOLLOW THE PLAN! – BUT…BUT…

----Be flexibleBe flexible

Page 17: Crisis Plan Cop

STEP 10--EVALUATIONSTEP 10--EVALUATION

Measure successMeasure success

Decide whether to conduct post-plan Decide whether to conduct post-plan primary researchprimary research

▲ ▲ The crisis team will document all actions The crisis team will document all actions taken under the plan and provide a post-taken under the plan and provide a post-crisis report to managers. (The report may crisis report to managers. (The report may include recommendations for improvement include recommendations for improvement for future crisis response.)for future crisis response.)

Page 18: Crisis Plan Cop

Case #1Case #1

TYLENOL –In the fall of 1982, an unknown person or persons replaced Tylenol Extra-Strength capsules with cyanide-laced capsules, resealed the packages and placed them on store shelves in the Chicago area. The poisoned capsules were purchased and seven people died.

Page 19: Crisis Plan Cop

Tylenol CrisisTylenol Crisis

Johnson & Johnson turned tragedy into triumph Johnson & Johnson turned tragedy into triumph by managing the crisis wellby managing the crisis well--Company managers quickly put together a crisis --Company managers quickly put together a crisis management teammanagement team--It was honest and open with the media--It was honest and open with the media--It prioritized public safety and was willing, at --It prioritized public safety and was willing, at any cost, to withdraw the productany cost, to withdraw the product--It led the way in establishing new product --It led the way in establishing new product tampering prevention – offered coupons to tampering prevention – offered coupons to consumersconsumers

Page 20: Crisis Plan Cop

Case #2Case #2

In March 1989, an oil In March 1989, an oil tanker owned by tanker owned by Exxon, named the Exxon, named the Valdez, hit a reef in Valdez, hit a reef in Alaska’s Prince Alaska’s Prince William Sound and William Sound and spilled about 11 spilled about 11 million gallons of million gallons of oil.oil.

Page 21: Crisis Plan Cop

Exxon Valdez Oil SpillExxon Valdez Oil Spill

In contrast to the Tylenol crisis, the Exxon crisis In contrast to the Tylenol crisis, the Exxon crisis has gone down in history and in textbooks as an has gone down in history and in textbooks as an example of how NOT to handle a crisis.example of how NOT to handle a crisis.--Exxon did not acknowledge the extent of the --Exxon did not acknowledge the extent of the problemproblem--The company was slow to contain and clean up --The company was slow to contain and clean up the spillthe spill--The company insisted on communicating from --The company insisted on communicating from the remote town of Valdez, Alaska, limiting its the remote town of Valdez, Alaska, limiting its ability to use the media as a communication toolability to use the media as a communication tool

Page 22: Crisis Plan Cop
Page 23: Crisis Plan Cop

Case #3Case #3

In September-October 2006, three people died and more than 100 were sickened by eating fresh spinach tainted with E. coli bacteria.

Page 24: Crisis Plan Cop

Tainted Spinach CrisisTainted Spinach Crisis

Another example of a well-managed crisisAnother example of a well-managed crisis--California Farm Bureau issued the message, --California Farm Bureau issued the message, “Food safety is our top priority.” The message “Food safety is our top priority.” The message came quickly and from a high level: CAFB came quickly and from a high level: CAFB President Doug Mosebar.President Doug Mosebar.--Rather than shy away from a complex issue, --Rather than shy away from a complex issue, CAFB explained the complexities in language that CAFB explained the complexities in language that consumers could relate to— “It’s not like an consumers could relate to— “It’s not like an episode of CSI--can’t be wrapped up in 30 min.episode of CSI--can’t be wrapped up in 30 min.--CAFB, within just four months of the crisis, --CAFB, within just four months of the crisis, proposed a new food safety program for leafy proposed a new food safety program for leafy greens.greens.

Page 25: Crisis Plan Cop

ConclusionConclusion

PLANPLAN FOLLOW THE PLANFOLLOW THE PLAN EVALUATE THE PLANEVALUATE THE PLAN UPDATE THE PLANUPDATE THE PLAN

Lynne FinnertyLynne FinnertyPublic Relations, AFBFPublic Relations, [email protected]@fb.org202-406-3646202-406-3646