Tag: crisis communications

Scenes of Violence at Home

My heart has been heavy all week from watching video and reading news coverage of the clashes between police and residents of Ferguson, Missouri. I grew up in Jefferson City, Mo., and have a lot of family and friends in the St. Louis area. I’m not familiar with Ferguson specifically but I suspect it is not that different from other communities I know – some here in Cleveland, where I’ve lived for 12 years.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has done a terrific job of covering what’s happening and there have been numerous insightful columns written about why it’s happening and why in Ferguson.

It’s the images that are so startling – the juxtaposition of military vehicles and police in riot gear, carrying rifles usually associated with warfare, against a backdrop of men, women and children on the streets of American suburbia. The photos of bewildered children, walking down the street with adults or holding protest signs, made me wonder what lasting impression they will have of police officers.

But there’s more. Members of the community uploaded cell-phone images of Michael Brown’s body lying in the street after the police officer shot him. Journalists uploaded cell-phone images from McDonald’s, where police in riot gear confronted and arrested them. This is not the St. Louis I know and love. How long will this negative impression of one of my favorite cities persist?

It’s a powerful reminder for every organization: If something bad happens, anyone can capture photos and videos that will live forever online. In the blink of an eye, your reputation can be permanently damaged. In these times of instant access to information, you must be prepared before the crisis occurs.

These images are now seared into our memories. When we think of Ferguson, we will think of the riots – just as we associate school shootings with Columbine and a theatre massacre with Aurora. That’s the lasting impact a crisis can have on reputation. How you respond can change the narrative.

The wisdom of sharing bad news first

Earlier this week, a high school teacher from the public school district where I live was arrested in a local park and charged with sexual battery. He is accused of having sexual contact with a student.

First, let me clarify that we are not working on this situation but have worked on many other cases where someone in authority is accused of inappropriate behavior with children. And since friends and neighbors know what I do, several have approached me over the past few days to ask my opinion about the school district’s response. I, in turn, ask what they think.

What’s interesting is the difference in perception. Those who do not have children in the high school tend to be satisfied with the district’s response. But parents of high school students have expressed frustration about the lack of information from school officials. This reinforces two primary principles of good crisis communications:

  1. Communicate first with those who are most affected by the situation. If at all possible, share the news with them before they learn about it in the media. This will increase your credibility with these critical audiences.
  2. Humanize your communication. Provide opportunities for face-to-face interactions and two-way conversations. It’s important for students, parents, faculty and staff to ask questions and share their concerns. Even if you can’t answer many of their questions – and there are limits to what you can say in a criminal case – share what you can and explain that you can’t share details without jeopardizing the investigation. And, of course, do everything you can to protect the privacy of the victim(s).

There is no “one size fits all” strategy in a crisis. However, it’s important to think beyond the media and remember that you have spent decades building relationships with your stakeholders – in this case, the victim, parents, faculty & staff, students, alumni, and so on . When something bad happens, finding ways to address their concerns must be a top priority. You may not be able to answer every question but at least give them an opportunity to be heard.

Private comments, public outrage

By now, everyone – sports fans and non-fans alike – is aware of a recorded conversation in which LA Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling made offensive, racist comments about African Americans to his former girlfriend, V. Stiviano. Sterling objected to photos Ms. Stiviano posted of herself on Instagram with African-American men – including retired superstar Magic Johnson and Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp – and told her not to bring black guests to NBA games.

Since the tape became public, Sterling’s words have been condemned by everyone from President Obama to Oprah Winfrey to Michael Jordan. His coach and players tried desperately to distance themselves from their owner. Advertisers abandoned the team, and even the performer who was to sing the national anthem bowed out on Tuesday. Finally, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ended speculation, confirming that the voice on the tape is Sterling’s. Silver banned Sterling from the league for life and issued the maximum fine of $2.5 million.

This is another case of a private conversation – presumably in a private home – causing public outrage. Ms. Stiviano apparently recorded conversations without Mr. Sterling’s knowledge, then uploaded them for the world to hear. This certainly isn’t the first such incident – remember Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic rant and Michael (“Kramer”) Richard’s racist tirade? Neither career has recovered from the self-inflicted damage.

While most of us don’t own professional sports franchises or have Hollywood careers, anyone who cares about his/her reputation should take these lessons to heart. In these days of cell phone cameras and recorders, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, private behavior doesn’t always remain private. When offensive words or actions are caught on tape, they can spread across the Internet – and across the world – with lightning speed and cause irreparable damage to your reputation.

Donald Sterling offended not only his coach and players but his fan base. An apology could never undo that kind of damage. For the sake of his team, he had to go. The best scenario would have been for him to apologize, announce that he would sell the team, and then disappear from public view. In lieu of that, Silver had to act decisively – even though, as Mark Cuban pointed out, removing an owner for something he said sets quite a precedent for professional sports.