Peter Chevrier

Date: January 15, 2015

Name: StudioThink – How to prepare for a crisis

Presenter: Peter Chevrier

When organizations face crises, leaders need to take responsibility to act. It is important for all leaders to communicate the right message in the right moment with a positive and effective way. Peter Chevrier, the owner of Paragon, is invited to this presentation to discuss strategies for leaders to prepare for crises. Over 20 years of experience with working with universities, governments, and corporations, his insight will inspire many leaders to take action. The communication planning is significant for organizations and leaders need to ensure they are prepared.

Peter Chevrier defines organizational crisis is any issue or event that is or expected to lead to an unstable and dangerous situation for the organization. The crisis communication is designed to protect and defend organization’s reputation and safety during the crisis. Leaders can treat this as the preventative measures and preparation.

Organizations could face many crises. This includes negative comments, product issues, layoffs, strikes, discrimination, workplace accidents, and even natural disasters. The challenge behind all issues is that organizations have the sense of fear, lack of time, money and knowledge to prepare the crisis. This will lead to result of denial, anger, fear, depression, and acceptance emotions.

Chevrier shares 10 basic tips that any organization in any industry to prepare crisis communication.

Tip #1: What is crisis?

It is important for leaders to learn to anticipate crisis. Organizations will be better prepared if crisis ever happened. Chevrier suggests the key behind prepare crisis is 3Rs, which is research, response, and recovery.

Tip #2: Consider crises that could affect organization

Research and brainstorm any possible crisis that will affect the leaders’ industries. This can be done by review articles and outcomes from historical crises. It is important to learn from the outcome and understand how to handle. In addition, leaders can use this opportunity to list potential crisis that may impact their organizations.

Tip #3: Put together a team

Leaders need to form a team that is calm. Each team should have at least one head of major division. The team should nominate spokesperson, collect information, marshal media, and manage communication. There should be continuing training for all spokesperson.

Tip #4: Develop a plan

Leaders cannot plan for each crisis, but they can plan a general plan for crisis. Therefore, leaders need to develop policies or guidelines. Delegate the tasks to the one appointed person. Start simple and build over time with the policies and guidelines.

Chevrier suggests leaders need to prepare pre-drafted statements, sound bites, tweets, and anticipated questions and answers. These will direct organizations to the right impact in the media when possible crises come.

Tip #5: Practice

Leaders need to run though the plan with a mock crisis. The role play with tough questions and difficult scenarios will cover many different areas for the team and reduce camera pressure. In addition, leaders can review the procedure for any improvement.

Tip #6: Implement monitoring and notification system

Organizations should implement technology-based and conventional media monitoring. Leaders need to educate their employees to stay alert and know who to contact. There are many different channels organizations need to filter to ensure the organization is utilized the communication effectively.

Tip #7: Prepare crisis communication go kit

The go kit contains useful items in case of a crisis. This includes mobile phone, laptop, flash drive, plan and camera. Chevrier believes leaders should have the mindset of better over prepared than under prepared.

Tip #8: During a crisis, understand the position

Leaders need to take the time to determine what happened, why, who is involved, where, when, what is the explanation, how it will be rectified, prevent from happen again. Leaders should work the plan with the senior management to ensure it is accurate and honest.

Chevrier recommends leaders to develop proper message and select the right communication channels when crisis happens.

Tip #9: During a crisis, say something

Chevrier believes the worst thing leader can do during the crisis is say nothing. Silence breeds rumors and speculation. This will also feed perceptions of inaction, incompetence and indifference.

The important thing is to emphasize with the organizations’ emotional state. When leaders are being accurate, honest, factual, focused and calm, they can appear to show they are caring.

Tip #10: Post-crisis analysis

When the crisis is handled properly, it is important to analyze how it is handled and learn to adept the new outcome. Review the situation and understand if it is done right, wrong or better. Leaders need to update their current plan to adopt the changes.

“It is never a crisis until it is a crisis, but does not mean you do not need to plan for it”

“It is worth the investment to be prepared, proactive and professional”