Fundamentals of Crisis Communication Focusing on E ff ective Techniques & Building Trust Presented by Kelly Huston And a special guest appearance by Joe Wood
1. Who you are 2. What do you hope to learn today 3. The thing you’re most passionate about (personal or professional)
Keeping Perspective
What Really Matters?
Case study
Crash: September 12, 2008 at 4:22 pm Consequences: 25 deaths, 135 injured This press conference was around 10am the morning after
Team Exercise ‣ What did she do right? ‣ What, if anything, did she do wrong? ‣ How would you have done it?
You are here.
Art Skills arising from the exercise of intuitive faculties (and common sense)
Science Expertness or exactness regarded as the result of knowledge of laws and principles
There’s no one-way manual
Today ‣ Risk & Crisis Communication ‣ Case Studies & Team Exercises ‣ How to Craft Effective Messages ‣ The “Communication Flow” ‣ 10 Commandments for Successful Interviewing ‣ Easy to Use, Free Tools
What Happened Here?
Anatomy of a Crisis ‣ Complexity of the situation ‣ High stress on all involved ‣ Need for preparation & practice ‣ Need for focus
Impact on the Public ‣ “Normal” life interrupted ‣ Concern for safety of loved ones, themselves ‣ Confusion and fear ‣ Looking for leadership and support
Leadership
Public’s Expectations
Speed of Info Flow Through the Media 20 years ago 24 hours 10 years ago 4 hours Today 4 minutes
Risk & Crisis Communication
Risk Communication: Key Concepts ‣ Over 8000 articles in peer reviewed journals, over 2,000 books and major survey reviews of the field ‣ Dr. Vincent Covello Center for Change/Risk Communication
Risk Communication: Key Concepts ‣ Risk communication is a science- based discipline ‣ High concern situations change the rules of communication ‣ The key to success is Anticipation, Preparation and Practice (APP)
Risk Communication: Key Concepts ‣ People focus much more on negative information ‣ Process information well below their grade level (AGL-4) ‣ Actively seek out additional sources to reduce risk ‣ “Four Hit Theory” of belief formation
Four Hit Theory of Belief Formation ‣ Once formed, a belief is difficult or impossible to change ‣ Four (on average) unanswered credible hits makes a belief ‣ Less than four hits is still opinion ‣ A hit from one side can be negated by a hit from the other side
3 Goals of Risk Communication ‣ Inform people to be able to make knowledgeable decisions ‣ Build trust and credibility ‣ Persuade & convince, appropriate to what we know
When people are stressed or concerned ‣ Want to know that you care before they care what you know ‣ Have di ffi culty hearing, understanding, and remembering information ‣ Focus most on what they hear fi rst and last
What are the key messages?
What are the key messages?
Considerations ‣ What were her messages? ‣ What were the mayor’s messages? ‣ What does the public want to hear? ‣ What did you see?
Mental Noise Your brain’s ability on a good day During high stress or concern 20% 80% Mental noise can reduce the ability to process information by up to 80%
What factors build trust during a crisis?
Trust Determination Model ‣ Competence & Expertise ‣ Honesty & Openness ‣ Listening, Caring, Compassion, Empathy ‣ Other Factors The Determinants of Trust and Credibility in Environmental Risk Communication: An Empirical Study Richard G. Peters, Vincent T. Covello, David B. McCallum - Risk Analysis, 1997
Trust Determination Model What 17% factors build trust during 17% a crisis? Determination in fi rst 9-30 seconds 50% 17% Competence & Expertise Honesty / Openness Listening / Caring / Empathy / Compassion All Other Factors
Communication Tools ‣ 95% Rule ‣ 1N=3P ‣ Rule of 3 ‣ AGL-4 ‣ CCO ‣ Primacy/Recency ‣ 27/9/3 ‣ Message Mapping ‣ IDK
95% Rule 95% of all questions and concerns that will be raised by any stakeholder (the press) in any controversy (crisis) can be predicted in advance. Implications?
Rule of 3 Low Stress 7 Messages Brain can hold on average High Stress 3 Messages Brain can hold on average George A. Miller (Department of Psychology, Princeton University) The Psychological Review, 1956, vol. 63, pp. 81-97
27/9/3
27/9/3 ‣ 27 Words ‣ 9 Seconds ‣ 3 Messages ‣ This is what your audience can successfully process Simple Declarative Statements
Message Map Stakeholder Question or Concern Key Message/Fact Key Message/Fact Key Message/Fact 1 2 3 Keywords or Keywords or Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.1 Supporting Fact 1.1 Supporting Fact 1.1 Keywords or Keywords or Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2 Supporting Fact 1.2 Supporting Fact 1.2 Keywords or Keywords or Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.3 Supporting Fact 1.3 Supporting Fact 1.3
27/9/3
Message Map Stakeholder Question or Concern 9/11/01 I’m scared. What is happening now? Key Message/Fact #1 Key Message/Fact #2 Key Message/Fact #3 Doing Everything Highest Levels You’re not alone We Can Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.1 Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.1 Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.1 People suffering President NYPD with you Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.2 Military Other Agencies Help Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.3 Safe as possible Support Safe as possible
Listen Again: 27/9/3
Message Map Exercise Stakeholder Question or Concern Key Message/Fact #1 Key Message/Fact #2 Key Message/Fact #3 Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.1 Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.1 Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.1 Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2 Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.3
C C O
C C O ‣ C ompassion and show empathy ‣ C onviction that you and your team can do the job ‣ O ptimism tempered by reality
C C O
IDK: I don’t know
IDK
IDK: I Don’t Know ‣ It is okay not to have the answer ‣ Do not risk your credibility by creating an answer ‣ Avoid speculating (why?)
Guiliani Using IDK
IDK Template ‣ Say you don’t know (or can’t answer) ‣ Give the reason why you don’t know ‣ Indicate follow-up with a deadline ‣ Bridge to what you can say, such as your core messages
Case Study
Team Exercise ‣ You’re the spokesperson for this company ‣ What will be the public’s reaction? ‣ How will you respond? ‣ Develop key messages on fl ip chart
The Communication Flow
Hurricane Rita & General Honore
Considerations? ‣ Who was the General talking to? ‣ What were his key messages? ‣ Was he e ff ective? ‣ What does the a ff ected public need?
The Communication Flow
The Communication Flow Remember who you’re really talking to when you do an interview or go on camera. Public O ffi cial (that’s you!) news media Public, families, critics, supporters, colleagues, naïve folks, etc.
Techniques “Bridging” ‣ Using a bridge or transition to get to your key message(s). ‣ Question g Answer g Bridge to g Key Message ‣ Refer to your handout examples
Techniques “Flagging” ‣ Notifying the interviewer (or viewer) that you’re about to say something important. ‣ Question g Flag g Key Message
Techniques “Flagging” Examples: ‣ “What is important to remember is...” ‣ “Let me take a step back and repeat that...” ‣ “Most people are concerned about...” ‣ “Here’s the main thing that the Mayor did..” ‣ “Although it can be confusing, here’s the bottom line...”
Do You Prepare?
10 Commandments For Successful Interviewing
10 Commandments For Successful Interviewing 1. Ask yourself “Why am I doing this interview?” 2. Research the reporter & the topic 3. Prepare, prepare, prepare 4. Develop key messages & practice 5. Adopt a cooperative, positive attitude
10 Commandments For Successful Interviewing 6. Be aware of your non-verbal communication (Metrolink & General) 7. Don’t repeat the negative 8. Never lie, guess or bluff 9. Avoid “no comment” and “off-the-record” statements 10. Review & verify with the reporter
Recommended Reading
Kelly Huston (916) 436-1711 kbhuston@gmail.com www.ProCommunicator.com/hah
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