The Emotions Behind Crisis Management
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
When it comes to a crisis, we all know emotions reach their all-time high. But there are ways to prepare for the worst, and recognising the emotions at the forefront will help you manage them when they eventually come up.
A crisis can come out of nowhere, but a lot of the time it’s something you can plan ahead for. It’s always been seen with big multinational companies, but nowadays even smaller agencies can find themselves in hot water. So, no matter what size your company is, it’s worth knowing how to deal with criticism, and the emotions you will need to juggle.
This is one of the main emotions to manage and be aware of when it comes to a crisis. You must be practical – if you believe you will never stumble across a problem or be criticised, you will be put in a difficult position when it happens. Addressing your current naivety can help manage your future stress.
It’s important to be prepared, and it can quieten that looming fear of the worst happening. You have to consider what might be a problem in the next few months, as well as long-term issues in the future. It can be helpful to have this in a physical list, and it’s useful to do with your team so you can all prepare a cohesive response.
Fear can also cause uncertainty, which can sometimes delay your response in a crisis. But reacting quickly is key to making amends with your audience, and there is no room for procrastinating an apology. Previous preparation means you can start communication as soon as possible, which will make your company appear more proactive in making amends.
Anger is a powerful emotion, but can only add fuel to the fire when it comes to a crisis. It can also lead to extremes, such as denial or shifting the blame, which can impact your public statement. You don’t want your apology to sound like an argument, meaning your first response will likely need to be revised multiple times. It’s important to be thorough, and maintain a neutral approach in your statement. Placing yourself on the defense will seem like you’re avoiding responsibility, and going for the attack will never translate well in the media. You should work with your team, tweaking your statement around who your audience is, what they need to know, and what they should be hearing.
When it comes to an apology, or a crisis diffusion, it is so important to think about your tone. Despite how you may personally feel about the criticism, and how you cope with it, humour can largely feel out of place in a serious situation. It can also damage the sincerity behind your words, and you wouldn’t want your audience to think your apology isn’t heartfelt.
Navigating these emotions will put you in a better position when it comes to delivering your apology, and helps to present your company in the best possible light.
Honesty should be placed at the forefront of your crisis. This is what your audience will resonate with, and lying now will only make the situation worse in the future. Take a human and sensitive approach to your apology, and avoid using cold or AI-sounding sentences. You can still be friendly, even while addressing the severity of the topic. Share an honest strategy with your audience on how this situation will be overcome, and the steps you’ll take to ensure the situation doesn’t happen again.
For more, pick up a copy of eBook: Powerfully Practical PR.
Or read our blog on crisis comms planning.
At Carnsight Communications we create strategies and campaigns to showcase our clients’ brilliant work through PR, content and social media. We help them get noticed by the right audience, at the right time. We specialise in creative agency PR.
