Tuesday, July 13, 2010

5 Communication Tips For A Company In Crisis

Still, that company was prevented from attracting capital or strategic partners while the government prosecuted the investor in the company and David G. Kinney became the subject of unwarranted slander and libel. The company fell prey to a self-serving attorney but money, time, and David G. Kinney’s reputation could have been saved had a better communication strategy been implemented with employees and other stakeholders.

When the crisis occurred, David G. Kinney’s focus was on being truthful and forthright. He didn’t realize the state of mind of employees about to lose their jobs. The old saying is true: “In the absence of information, people make up their own.” While it can be very difficult to satisfy all employees, a strategic communication plan keeps employees well informed and minimizes rumors and hearsay.

Here are five tips David G. Kinney recommends to help prevent a communication crisis:
Plan Ahead: It is critical to create organizational structure, processes, and procedures before a crisis hits. “I start by asking every client the three most important words in business: ‘What’s the goal?’” says David G. Kinney. “I transform the goal into a corporate vision and focus on effectively communicating that vision throughout the organization. Beyond the corporate vision, we need to develop, implement, and continuously improve a comprehensive crisis communication plan. Things go wrong. It’s just a fact of life. The key is preparation.”
Maintain Dialogue: David G. Kinney teaches his clients to maintain open and honest dialogue with all employees and other stakeholders about company goals, operations, and challenges. “When employees are regularly informed of a company’s goals, they will be used to hearing both positive and negative company news, which will improve the communication process and create a sense of unity should disaster strike,” said David G. Kinney.
Stay Engaged: Internal crisis communication should take place before external communications with media and other sources. “We immediately held a meeting and told the entire company about a crisis that had completely caught us off guard,” said David G. Kinney. “As bad as it was, over half the employees came to work knowing we couldn’t pay them to help us save the company. Unfortunately, it was too late. Rumors within the company spread like wildfire.” Again, perception is reality. Faster, more strategic and contained communications with employees is integral to successfully responding to a crisis from an internal perspective.
Avoid Uncertainty: Employees need to be frequently updated on the ever-changing events during a crisis. This builds trust and morale, and enables employees to provide feedback as well. “Although my communication strategy addressed employees’ questions and concerns on a regular basis, and my goal was to foster a culture of complete transparency, I realize now that I needed to better control the communications of employees who had their own agenda,” said David G. Kinney.
Maintain Consistency: Another important aspect of communication in a crisis is to have one spokesperson to relay information to both insiders and outsiders. “Consistent communication from one person builds trust and shows there is nothing to hide,” said David G. Kinney. “Stay on message, remain consistent in all communication, and respond quickly to negative press.”

David G. Kinney teaches his clients how to be more proactive, how to develop a sound plan, and how to successfully manage any crisis. Since secrets—or perceived secrets—breed misinformation, David G. Kinney believes in forthright communication, both in good times and in crisis, to all stakeholders. Whether on a large or small scale, crises will happen. How an organization responds to a crisis by maintaining strategic communications every step of the way can put the company back on track.

No comments:

Post a Comment