A World Perspective on Crisis Communication
A World Perspective on Crisis Communication
Under Pressure 11 October 2024
A world perspective on crisis communication
When I am talking about or running training on crisis communication I will raise the issue of globalisation. The fact that something that happens in one part of the world and can be felt or trigger issues in another part has become a fact of modern life. The speed with which news as well as rumour can spread has brought a new perspective on how we approach, operate and discuss crisis communication.
It was brought home to me when I met PR, communication and crisis communication professionals in Slovenia this week. The challenges and issues were similar and there was a clear understanding that the world has become a small place.
For crisis communication this means being ready for something to hit you that may have come from somewhere else in the world. Is the industry you work in being put under pressure? Is there a supply or distribution failure? Are you involved in, or linked to, a challenging subject?
Being able to respond is vital and this means recognising the global implications when you are preparing a crisis communication plan. You should consider the following:
Does your risk management and issue monitoring consider what is happening around the world?
Are you ready to respond to international media and to deal with their demands when a crisis hits?
Have you considered how communication may need to be developed to work in other countries?
Do senior leaders understand the global nature of crisis response and communication and are they ready to respond to it?
Are you learning from issues, crises and events abroad that may assist the development of your communication?
All of the above are important but so is keeping a close watch on who matters to you and the business, but well who is affected by the situation that has occurred. The speed of communication internationally is only going to increase so now is the time to review and consider your plans and approaches.
Hurricane Milton update
The impact of Hurricane Milton was still being identified as this edition of Under Pressure was being completed. The situation was terrible to watch and affected a huge number of people and many who had just faced Hurricane Helene. One of the most concern aspects of the response was the speed and impact of inaccurate and misleading information as well as conspiracy theories. It is something that needs to be analysed in the days and weeks to come. For now, my thoughts are with all those who have been caught up in the hurricane or who have been responding. It is incredibly sad to hear the a number of people have died.
Duty of Candour discussed - free online event
Amanda is joining with Professor Lucy Easthope to run a session discussing the recently announced duty of candour that is set to be introduced in the UK by April 2025. The free online event takes place on 18 November. To find out more and register to join check it out here.
Launch of Strategic Reputation Management book
Amanda’s latest book Strategic Reputation Management will be published on 3rd November by Kogan Page. The book aims to bring a new and fresh perspective to managing an organisation’s reputation that takes it beyond PR and communication alone. If you run a blog, podcast or website and would like a review copy ahead of the publication contact Amanda at amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk
2025 Training
Amanda is developing the crisis communication training plan for 2025 and is looking for your feedback. There is a short two minute survey that will help to define the priorities for the coming 12 months. If you an share your thoughts click on the link here to complete the survey. Thanks.
In Brief:
Dutch police revealed it is ‘highly likely’ a foreign country was behind a massive data breach. Find out more here.
Amanda spoke recently to Emma Drake for her Communication Strategy that works podcast. Listen to the conversation here.
A computer ‘think tank’ have said that cyber companies need a best practice approach for dealing with major incidents. Find out more here.
Looking at new ways to consider how to respond to unforeseen events is outlined in an article on the Open Access Government website. It looks to the Nordic Institute for studies in innovation, research and education for some suggestions. Find out more here.
HR Magazine considers what the recent riots in the UK mean for employers when considering managing crises. Read more here.
There was a plea to healthcare organisations to ensure they are ready to respond to and deal with a cyber threat. The impact from cyber attacks can be long and costly. Find out more here.
Ham radio operators were highlighting the support they could provide in the wake of Hurricane Milton. There is a similar network in the UK - check out Raynet. Find out more here.
The American website Homeland Security Today considers how organisations can be ready to confront misinformation at a time of crisis. Find out more here.
For any law firms or communicators in the sector the interview in Legal Talk Network may be of interest looking at how they can manage a crisis. Find out more here.
There are reports that the market for crisis management software is set to grow by 2.6 billion USD between 2024 and 2028. Read more here.
Diary Dates:
Producing engaging content for public sector communication is the focus of a webinar Amanda is running for the PRCA on 15 October. Find out more here.
On 16 October Amanda is running a session on getting the most from a small or non-existent PR and communication budget. Find more about the PRCA session here.
17 October is the date for Amanda’s two hour Social Media in a Crisis session. There are still a couple of spaces available on the short session at 2pm BST. Email office@amandacolemancomms.co.uk for more information.
On 18 October Amanda will be hosting an 11am online session for SASIG looking at the annual cyber security behaviours and attitudes report. For more information click here.
Amanda is running an online training session about Planning and Proactively Managing Crises for the PRCA North West. The session is 12.30 on 22 October. Find out more here.