It’s 4:57pm on a typical Thursday. Your phone rings. You don’t recognize the number; it’s a New York City area code. Could be a telemarketer, but you decide to answer anyway.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this think tank X?”

“Yes, how can I help you?”

“I’m an investigative journalist with the New York Times. I was recently given a recording from your organization’s last board meeting from an anonymous source. I’m working on an article about the discussions that took place during that meeting and I have questions. First, why is your organization’s priority opposing healthcare for the poor and why do you accpet donations from pharmaceutical companies that actively undermine such policy reforms?”

This is your crisis communications moment. An unexpected hit piece by a major national outlet that could seriously undermine your organization’s brand and work. For most policy organizations, it’s not a matter of IF, but WHEN such a crisis will hit.

What do you do? There are three key things to keep in mind when faced with such a challenge, which can result in not just surviving such an attack, but actually flourishing through it.

You are in Charge

Crisis communications can be defined as “the effort taken by an organization to communicate with the public and key stakeholders when an unexpected event occurs that could have a negative impact on the organization’s reputation.” You are the leader of that effort. You are the brand guardian and as the communications leader for your organization, you are in charge of its media relations and messaging. Your team will look to you as the person to guide them. This is your opportunity to step into leadership and direct your team.

So how do you prepare for such a situation before it happens? Having a written, prepared plan gives everyone reassurance that there is a plan and they know their role in it. You are the director, guiding your team through the crisis scenarios you’ve already prepared for and written in your crisis communications plan.

And don’t be afraid to call for backup when you need it. Build a relationship with a trusted crisis communications firm or consultant ahead of time so you can reach out to them when a potential crisis arises. But have a plan for that ahead of time, so you aren’t scrambling in the heat of the moment to find a trusted ally.  

Respond, don’t React

In any crisis situation, your mentality is paramount. Respond, don’t react. While your lizard brain may go into overdrive the second you hear, “Investigative journalist with the New York Times…”, choose to stay come and assess the situation. Ask the reporter what information they need, tell them you’ll gather it for them, and agree on a deadline for providing what information you can. Reacting out of fear or anger will only worsen the situation.

If you don’t handle pressure well, or you tend to freeze in difficult situations, a crisis communications guidebook should be your default plan. You’ve already brainstormed about potential crises and developed talking points. Now you just update the plan to fit the current situation, and calmly proceed.

Keep Perspective

While the New York Times scenario outlined above is about as dire as it gets, keep in mind that most likely your organization isn’t going to end as the result of one story. How you respond is what is critical. Trying to hide, reacting in anger or fear, or lying will definitely lead to an irretrievably worse situation. 

Provide accurate information to the reporter and share your perspective on the facts. Communicate with key stakeholders such as board members, donors, and supporters so that they hear the facts directly from you. You get to help shape their perspective of the situation. And by doing so in a rational, factual manner, it will allay any qualms they may experience throughout the crisis situation.

It’s up to you to remain calm, guide your team through the crisis situation, and inspire your supporters to rally to your cause. What initially appears as a crisis can quickly turn into a huge opportunity for your organization to share its views from a much larger platform. That’s handling crisis communications like a boss.

Need more help? Visit the SPN Member Portal for a crisis comms guidebook and plan.