fundamentals of crisis communication · empathy! other factors ... message map stakeholder question...
TRANSCRIPT
Fundamentals of Crisis CommunicationFocusing on Effective Techniques & Building Trust
Presented by
Kelly HustonAnd a special guest appearance by Joe Wood
1. Who you are2. What do you hope to learn today3. The thing you’re most passionate about
(personal or professional)
Keeping Perspective
What Really Matters?
Case study
Crash: September 12, 2008 at 4:22 pmConsequences: 25 deaths, 135 injuredThis press conference was around 10am the morning after
Team Exercise
‣ What did she do right?
‣ What, if anything, did she do wrong?
‣ How would you have done it?
You are here.
Art
Skills arising from the exercise of intuitive faculties
(and common sense)
Science
Expertness or exactness regarded as the result of knowledge of
laws and principles
There’s noone-way manual
Today
‣ Risk & Crisis Communication
‣ Case Studies & Team Exercises
‣ How to Craft Effective Messages
‣ The “Communication Flow”
‣ 10 Commandments for Successful Interviewing
‣ Easy to Use, Free Tools
What Happened Here?
Anatomy of a Crisis
‣ Complexity of the situation
‣ High stress on all involved
‣ Need for preparation & practice
‣ Need for focus
Impact on the Public
‣ “Normal” life interrupted
‣ Concern for safety of loved ones, themselves
‣ Confusion and fear
‣ Looking for leadership and support
Leadership
Public’s Expectations
20 years ago 24 hours10 years ago 4 hoursToday 4 minutes
Speed of Info Flow Through the Media
Risk & Crisis Communication
Risk Communication: Key Concepts
‣ Over 8000 articles in peer reviewed journals, over 2,000 books and major survey reviews of the field
‣ Dr. Vincent CovelloCenter for Change/Risk Communication
Risk Communication: Key Concepts
‣ Risk communication is a science-based discipline
‣ High concern situations change the rules of communication
‣ The key to success is Anticipation, Preparation and Practice (APP)
Risk Communication: Key Concepts
‣ People focus much more on negative information
‣ Process information well below their grade level (AGL-4)
‣ Actively seek out additional sources to reduce risk
‣ “Four Hit Theory” of belief formation
Four Hit Theory of Belief Formation
‣ Once formed, a belief is difficult or impossible to change
‣ Four (on average) unanswered credible hits makes a belief
‣ Less than four hits is still opinion
‣ A hit from one side can be negated by a hit from the other side
3 Goals of Risk Communication
‣ Inform people to be able to make knowledgeable decisions
‣ Build trust and credibility
‣ Persuade & convince, appropriate to what we know
When people arestressed or concerned
‣ Want to know that you care before they care what you know
‣ Have difficulty hearing, understanding, and remembering information
‣ Focus most on what they hear "rst and last
What are the key messages?
What are the key messages?
Considerations
‣ What were her messages?
‣ What were the mayor’s messages?
‣ What does the public want to hear?
‣ What did you see?
Mental Noise
Your brain’s ability on a good day
During high stress or concern
80%20%
Mental noise can reduce the ability to process information by up to 80%
What factors build trust during a crisis?
Trust Determination Model
‣ Competence & Expertise
‣ Honesty & Openness
‣ Listening, Caring, Compassion, Empathy
‣ Other Factors
The Determinants of Trust and Credibility in Environmental Risk Communication: An Empirical StudyRichard G. Peters, Vincent T. Covello, David B. McCallum - Risk Analysis, 1997
Trust Determination Model
What factors build trust during a crisis? 17%
17%
50%17%
Competence & ExpertiseHonesty / OpennessListening / Caring / Empathy / CompassionAll Other Factors
Determination in !rst 9-30
seconds
Communication Tools
‣ 95% Rule‣ Rule of 3
‣ CCO‣ 27/9/3
‣ IDK
‣ 1N=3P‣ AGL-4
‣ Primacy/Recency‣ Message Mapping
95% Rule
95% of all questions and concernsthat will be raised by any stakeholder (the press)
in any controversy (crisis)can be predicted in advance.
Implications?
3
Rule of 3
Low StressBrain can hold on average 7
High StressBrain can hold on average
Messages
Messages
George A. Miller (Department of Psychology, Princeton University)The Psychological Review, 1956, vol. 63, pp. 81-97
27/9/3
27/9/3
‣ 27 Words‣ 9 Seconds
‣ 3 Messages‣ This is what your audience can
successfully process
Simple Declarative Statements
Message MapStakeholder
Question or Concern
Key Message/Fact
1Keywords or
Supporting Fact 1.1
Key Message/Fact
2Key Message/Fact
3
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.3
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.3
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.3
27/9/3
Message MapStakeholder Question or Concern
Key Message/Fact #1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.1
Key Message/Fact #2 Key Message/Fact #3
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.3
9/11/01 I’m scared. What is happening now?
Highest Levels
President
Military
Safe as possible
Doing Everything We Can
NYPD
Other Agencies
Safe as possible
You’re not alone
People suffering with you
Help
Support
Listen Again: 27/9/3
Message Map ExerciseStakeholder Question or Concern
Key Message/Fact #1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.1
Key Message/Fact #2 Key Message/Fact #3
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.1
Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.2
Keywords or Supporting Fact 3.3
C C O
C C O
‣Compassion and show empathy
‣Conviction that you and your team can do the job
‣Optimism tempered by reality
C C O
IDK: I don’t know
IDK
IDK: I Don’t Know
‣ It is okay not to have the answer
‣ Do not risk your credibility by creating an answer
‣ Avoid speculating (why?)
Guiliani Using IDK
IDK Template‣ Say you don’t know (or can’t answer)
‣ Give the reason why you don’t know
‣ Indicate follow-up with a deadline
‣ Bridge to what you can say, such as your core messages
Case Study
Team Exercise
‣ You’re the spokesperson for this company
‣ What will be the public’s reaction?
‣ How will you respond?
‣ Develop key messages on #ip chart
The Communication Flow
Hurricane Rita & General Honore
Considerations?
‣ Who was the General talking to?
‣ What were his key messages?
‣ Was he effective?
‣ What does the affected public need?
The Communication Flow
Public, families, critics, supporters, colleagues,
naïve folks, etc.
Remember who you’re really
talking to when you do an
interview or go on camera.
The Communication Flow
Public Official(that’s you!)
news media
Techniques“Bridging”
‣ Using a bridge or transition to get to your key message(s).
‣ Question g Answer g Bridge to g Key Message
‣ Refer to your handout examples
Techniques“Flagging”
‣ Notifying the interviewer (or viewer) that you’re about to say something important.
‣ Question g Flag g Key Message
Techniques“Flagging”
Examples:
‣ “What is important to remember is...”
‣ “Let me take a step back and repeat that...”
‣ “Most people are concerned about...”
‣ “Here’s the main thing that the Mayor did..”
‣ “Although it can be confusing, here’s the bottom line...”
Do You Prepare?
10 CommandmentsFor Successful Interviewing
10 CommandmentsFor Successful Interviewing
1. Ask yourself “Why am I doing this interview?”
2. Research the reporter & the topic
3. Prepare, prepare, prepare
4. Develop key messages & practice
5. Adopt a cooperative, positive attitude
10 CommandmentsFor Successful Interviewing
6. Be aware of your non-verbal communication (Metrolink & General)
7. Don’t repeat the negative
8. Never lie, guess or bluff
9. Avoid “no comment” and “off-the-record” statements
10. Review & verify with the reporter
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