6 Keys In Delivering Messages In A Crisis

“I think it’s absolutely critical as a leader to deliver an honest message, a message that contains all the parts, the good and the bad.”

-Dr. John Agwunobi, Florida State Health Director during the 2001 Anthrax attacks.

The 1918 influenza pandemic created terror in the hearts of the populace mainly because the messages going out to the public were sanitised and minimised in an attempt to reassure the public; unfortunately, it backfired.[1]

Pandemics are a great threat even in this so-called postmodern, post-information age. We are not yet so smart that we can even anywhere near be confident about our ability to respond adequately to disaster. The Narrator of the War of the Worlds (2005) said, “They were undone, destroyed, after all of man’s weapons and devices had failed, by the tiniest creatures that God in his wisdom put upon this earth.”[2] It is these tiniest things that threaten us too. Small, large, and many things in-between threaten our very existence.

But do we panic? No! We plan for everything we can plan for; we prepare; we respond as adequately as we can; and then we recover.

One of the overriding keys is adequate communications. The following principle is a great starting guideline when delivering messages in your crisis:

REMEMBER THE STARCC PRINCIPLE

In a crisis, your message to employees and the media must be:

1. Simple: Frightened people do not want to hear big words.

Only the clearest and most concise messages will do. It is surprising how simple, yet effective we can make our messages. Unfortunately, we often have to employ ‘elegant simplicity’ to achieve it.[3] i.e. there’s some pain involved in ‘de-complexifying’ the message. People deserve to hear things plainly.

2. Timely: Frightened people want information now.

Why would we delay? It makes no sense other than to protect our own fears; it speaks not of concern for would-be carers and responsible persons of people who would be destitute without the appropriate information. Information is power but only when it is current.

3. Accurate: Frightened people will not get nuances, so give it straight.

Much care needs to be taken to transmit the right message in the right way so it won’t or can’t be misconstrued. We can assume the default that people will ordinarily become confused. Therefore, there’s no room for communicating complexities and intricacies, so we don’t waste our time or theirs by trying. We must be functional.

4. Relevant: Answer their questions and give action steps.

Make it real for people who need real information. Again, information is power only if it provides real things to do that will actually help. We don’t tell people to do things they can’t do or don’t know how to do.

5. Credible: Empathy and openness are your keys to credibility.

We put ourselves in their shoes. It isn’t hard to understand where people are at if we do this. It’s a necessary step. We are not only credible in our standing to do our jobs; we must also promote our credibility by actually understanding where everyone fits in and communicating with honesty and integrity accordingly.

6. Consistent: The slightest change in the message is upsetting.[4]

This is the hardest thing to achieve because communicating to varying parties dictates different messages, right? Wrong. We might need to communicate different things and in different ways, varying the message as new information comes to light, but the essence of the message needs to be the same; there must be a common thread that links it all together--the thread that speaks of consistency of information. A huge danger is leading people to assume or believe, based on inconsistent information, that agencies or their employer are lying or not telling the whole truth. People are quick to assume the worst.

This entire article was constructed to support the principles and intent of the US Dept for Homeland Security document, Pandemic Influenza – Preparedness, Response and Recovery: Guide for critical infrastructure and key resources. This document was published on September 19, 2006.

Copyright © 2008, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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ENDNOTES:
[1] US Dept for Homeland Security, Pandemic Influenza – Preparedness, Response and Recovery: Guide for critical infrastructure and key resources (Pub. Date: September 19, 2006), p. 72. Cited from John Barry, The Great Influenza: The epic story of the deadliest plague in history, (Penguin Books, 2004), p. 462.
[2] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407304/quotes
[3] “When we achieve simplicity in a way that includes all the complex issues that must be taken into account we have achieved elegant simplicity.” Cited from: Wickham, S. (2008, August 10). 'Elegant Simplicity' - Achieving It. Retrieved October 4, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Elegant-Simplicity---Achieving-It&id=1397709
[4] Ibid, http://www.ready.gov/business/_downloads/pandemic_influenza.pdf ... Whole STARCC Principle attributable to this site.