Outcast reposted this
A data leak, a contentious CEO transition, a failed product rollout, an employee lawsuit—if you’re a comms pro in charge of managing crises like these, this thread is for you. We recently gathered two dozen of IVP’s portfolio comms leaders for a hands-on workshop to discuss and practice responding to the inevitable issues that arise in modern business. While Chatham House Rules means I can’t share the video, my colleague Amelia and I distilled the key takeaways to help you navigate your next crisis: 🏎️ Calibrate Quickly and Act Swiftly: When a crisis hits, gather your team to assess the situation and identify the root cause. Balance transparency with accuracy in those crucial first hours. You’ll never have all the information, but don’t leave people in the dark—especially if they’re already voicing concerns on social media. Clear communication about the situation and what to expect next is vital to rebuilding trust. 🌋 Address the Core Business Issue that Led to Bad PR: The public fallout may be visible, but it’s often a sign of deeper issues within your operations, team or product. In addition to managing the public response, address the core challenge internally with your senior team and stakeholders. ❤️🩹 Be Genuine and Plan the Recovery: If an apology is needed, make it sincere. But don’t stop there—outline concrete steps to regain trust and prevent the issue from happening again. Then, follow through. Your stakeholders are watching. 🧱 Prepare for the Storm Before it Hits: Don’t wait for a crisis to think about how you’d manage one. Identify your vulnerabilities, design your crisis plan, crystalize your messaging and assemble a cross-functional team who knows their role if a crisis hits. Proactive planning can save time, reduce stress, and even help you address issues before they escalate. And, when the storm passes, be deliberate about communicating the important stories about your business, customers and team. Don’t let a crisis define your brand—take control of the narrative and rebuild it with authenticity. Huge thanks to Amanda and Jaclyn from Outcast for leading the conversation and our IVP portfolio comms/marketing leaders for sharing their wisdom. What other crisis communications advice would you add?