Time To Open Up
Time To Open Up
Inquiries and investigations are challenging times for organisations. You have managed to get through the crisis and to start to rebuilt and move to recovery when everything is put under the spotlight again. The decisions that were made under pressure, the approach that was taken and the communication that was published will all be scrutinised.
This is the situation the UK Government is in with the requirement to provide extensive information and details of conversations to the Covid-19 Inquiry. Even the act of handing over information can create problems with questions about how open the organisation is and what information is being withheld.
But it is not just something that public bodies and government’s are facing. There are a growing number of organisations that introduce some form of investigation or inquiry to learn from incidents and situations. This will help future responses but presents immediate challenges of what the inquiry will review, what happens with the information and who will be asked to talk about it?
The most important point for crisis communication is to ensure that there is a clear and agreed plan of how to manage not only the publication and aftermath of any report but also the moments when the inquiry is operating. So,
Keep clarifying the scope of the investigation and correcting information
Ensure employees are aware and understand the process that is taking place
Use the time to develop the response plan and be ready to address any issues that are raised
Don’t wait to implement immediate and urgent changes
I have some concerns that as organisations take the opportunity of reviewing, learning and changing they may be storing up some additional challenges. As with all crisis management and communication, being prepared is the key.
UK Government Crisis Comms Push
The UK Government is creating a crisis communication team and has published a crisis communication strategy in recent weeks. The strategy is focused on the roles and responsibilities across departments and bringing the response together quickly as well as running into recovery. Read more here. One thing that is clear from reading the strategy is the lack of public engagement as a focus and the single minded approach to the government response. The lack of delegating responsibility to other agencies was challenged in the Covid-19 response. It will be one to watch how this drive develops and when the next crisis happens how beneficial the new strategy will be.
School safety and crisis response
The anniversary of the Uvalde shooting has put the focus back on crisis management in schools and the importance of preparedness and the response. An article in the media has highlighted the continued drive to improve communication between people and law enforcement in the area. Find out more here. In addition there is a consideration of the police response to school shootings and the communication strategies to consider. Read more here. Finally, in an article on the Campus Safety website school boards and superintendents are put in the frontline of the response. Read more here.
Celebrating a year with Conducttr
Amanda is celebrating a year of linking with the real-life scenario software Conducttr. It provides an immersive experience that can help you test plans and crisis approaches in a safe environment. To find out more email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk
In Brief:
The emergency message sent to everyone in Seoul this week has been heavily criticised. Find out what happened and why the action has been put in the spotlight here.
The AMEC conference recently heard about the importance of communication to Ukraine. Find out more here.
The World Health Organisation has announced an initiative with Google to provide access to credible information in relation to future public health issues. Find out more here.
In a recent blog Amanda looks at the importance of being able to communicate quickly and keep a flow of information when a crisis happens. Read more here.
The State of the Media Report for 2023 includes interesting details for PR and comms about what journalists want including data and expert sources. This can be important information when you are under pressure. Find out more here.
Forbes website provided some thoughts for those who have been watching Succession. It details the crisis management lessons from the programme. Find out what they are here.
After the Covid-19 pandemic put scientists in the spotlight, there is an interesting video discussion looking at how they should communicate and what is important. Find out more here.
Diary Dates:
Amanda joins a panel discussing contingency plans for the Institute of Hospitality. The session online is on 6 June at 10am. Find out more here.
If you are interested in how to develop a communication strategy, Amanda’s half day training on behalf of the PRCA on 7 June is fully booked but there is another session taking place on 14 September. Spaces are limited. Find out more here.
On 9 June Amanda will be facilitating a SASIG webinar looking at a framework to change behaviour around security awareness. It looks set to be an interesting session and you can find out more here.
On 14 June Amanda is running a webinar looking at developing engaging content within the public sector. If you are interested in finding out more go to the PRCA website here.
The next training session run as part of the series organised by Amanda Coleman Communication will look at Social Media in a Crisis. It takes place on 15 June at 1pm BST and places are limited. Email amanda@amandacolemancomms.co.uk for more information.
Amanda is delighted to be part of the CommsRebel conference ‘Unleash Your Inner Rebel’ taking place in Manchester on 14 June. She is running a crisis communication workshop. To find out more go to the CommsRebel website here.