10 Crisis Communication Lessons from 2023
It has been another turbulent year and as we head into 2024 it is important to reflect on what we can learn from events this year. I have detailed 10 top tips that I have taken away from reflecting on what has been a chaotic and uncertain time. And unfortunately, we can expect that this will continue in the coming 12 months with events around the world.
Reputational crises need the same level of response - this has been a year of culture coming under fire and questions about how businesses and organisations operate. Many organisations are left struggling as they don’t use the structures and systems that they have in place for operational crises. Responding and communicating should use the same structures, processes and plans.
Extreme weather is a must to plan for - in the last 12 months four of the monthly case studies have been around weather crises from flood to wildfire. This is a situation we can expect to continue with more significant weather events and more people being affected. Now is the time to ensure you have a detailed extreme weather crisis communication plan.
Cyber attacks and data loss are still a huge risk - a number of big organisations have found themselves battling either a cyber attack or data loss. It remains a top threat and demands that plans are in place. Don’t wait until something happens. Start now and work with your IT experts to have a clear communication and operational plan in place.
Resilience is an issue for everyone - there has been a lot of talk from the UK Government about building resilience and many reports and studies have been published. There are expected to be further developments with a website and materials to help people identify what they can do to be more prepared for the unexpected. We can all help to share the messages and to encourage people to make preparations and put in place sensible precautions.
At the heart of all effective crisis communication is honesty - there are so many occasions this year that attempts to manipulate have made situations worse. It is not the situation but the cover up that is attempted. Being honest, open and transparent is the way to more effective crisis communication.
Self appointed experts are here to stay - we have seen an increase in people wanting to share information about problems, issues and emergencies. This may be due to the slow speed of information sharing or the complexity of the information that is provided. All crisis communication plans should now consider how to deal with this and to stop it happening in the first place.
Communicators need to have influence in the business for the moment a crisis happens - this is incredibly important to be heard when a crisis happens. It has become a regular subject for discussion and that is why I am making it the focus of my first training session in 2024.
Building trust is vital - when organisations and businesses are in crisis they can lose sight of what matters which is ensuring there is trust and confidence in your response. Trust is also a vital part of the internal response. Building trust before anything happens is vital especially with the trust deficit that exists.
Relationships are critical to effective crisis communication - being able to take the recommended approach needs the ability to influence as mentioned but also effective relationships. These relationships need to be in place before anything happens and should include internal and external stakeholders.
Crises need strong leaders that will listen - there have been a few situations where the quality of leadership has come into question. Strong and effective leadership is needed and communicators that don’t have this will struggle to achieve the required outcome. Listening to advice and then taking action should be at the heart of the leaders approach.
The important point to remember is that being prepared is essential to deal with the situations that may affect us in 2024. If you agree or disagree with the points let me know and please share any crisis communication lesson you have from the past 12 months.
Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.
Building Resilience in Communities
The National Preparedness Commission in the UK has recently published a report about Building Everyday Preparedness. It is worth reading through and in the section on communication it reinforces the principles that Amanda highlights in training including clarity, inclusivity and of course honesty. It is also good to see the idea of ‘town hall meetings’ where the public get to log in for updates are also highlighted as good practice. Read the report here.
In addition, the UK National Audit Office has published a report assessing the UK Government’s ability to respond to extreme weather situations. Read the report here.
Hillsborough ‘duty of candour’ signed by Government
Six years after a report by Reverend James Jones about the Hillsborough disaster, the UK Government have signed up to the ‘Hillsborough Charter’. The government have said the ‘duty of candour’ will apply to police officers and will be put into law. However, it does not cover others in the public sector and government who are involved in crisis response. It will be something to review as the law is drafted. Read more here.
Inclusive Communication
In an article for the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, Amanda discusses the issues of inclusive communication and how important it is in a crisis situation. Find out more here.
Book Giveaway
Check out Amanda’s LinkedIn and X (Twitter) feeds for details of a book giveaway during December.
In Brief:
In the latest edition of Crisis Response Journal, Amanda has written an article about culture and reputational crises which is an issue for all business and organisations. Find out more here.
For anyone working in crisis and emergency response and communication in the UK there was an update on the Government’s resilience framework published recently. Find out what is included in the update here.
If you read the last edition of the newsletter you will have seen an article about the reports on artificial intelligence. Following that, Amanda has written an article for Strategic magazine about the importance of preparing for the impact of AI and any crises it may bring. Read more here.
The Crisis Communication Network Europe highlight what the biggest threats are seen to be for European companies in 2024. They included fake news and a loss of trust in authority. Find out more here.
Better communication was among the recommendations from an independent report into a prescribed fire that got out of control in Banff, Canada in May this year. Find out more here.
A situation in Santa Teresa residents had been left without water and have voiced frustration with the utility business for delays and poor communication. Find out what has happened here.
In the US FEMA has published the latest National Preparedness Report. It includes details of the need for communication across sectors, inclusive and based in data. Find out more here.
The former UK prime minister Boris Johnson appeared for two days at the Covid Public Inquiry. Amanda blogged about what to learn from his approach and comments. Read the blog here.
There is an interesting article on the PR News website looking at the actions of San Francisco authorities who attempted to present a sanitised impression of the city ahead of an international summit. Find out more here.
The United Nations office for Disaster Risk Reduction has shared the five resilience goals identified by the EU Commission. Find out what they are here.
All the details about Amanda’s training courses have been shared in a brochure on LinkedIn. Find out more here.
The most watched #10minswith video of the past year was announced as a chat about risk management with former police chief and expert Aaron Duggan. Find out more here.
The latest edition of the Testing Times monthly case study has been published and this time it looks at the challenges of internal reputational crises. To receive a copy email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk