Crisis Communications

Crises don’t knock before entering a room. They arrive unexpectedly, spread fast, and can unravel even the most trusted brands or community leaders in a matter of hours. In our hyper-connected world, where every phone is a camera and every tweet can go viral, how you respond in the first few minutes can define your reputation for years to come.

Whether you're a business owner, nonprofit director, community leader, or even just someone navigating public life, having a crisis communications plan isn't optional, it's survival. Without it, you’re left scrambling, reacting emotionally, and often making the situation worse. So, the question isn't if a crisis will happen, it's when. And more importantly, will you be ready? This blog will guide you through the core elements of a realistic crisis communications strategy.

Crisis communications is a strategic approach to sharing information during disruptive events or emergencies. It's all about protecting the reputation of a brand or organisation. A good plan involves planning and the execution of communication strategies to address potential threats, minimise damage, and maintain trust. The key components of a crisis communications plan include these 7 Ps:

• Preparation - Who is on the crisis team? What are your top risks?

• People - Identify your spokespeople and train them on ways to respond

• Protocols - Chain of command, response timelines, and approval flow

• Platform - What channels will be used? (Email, press, social media, internal updates)

• Positioning - Create your key messages and values in advance

• Practice - Run simulations and mock crisis scenarios with your team

• Post-Crisis - Review, debrief, and rebuild trust of your priority communities

When you say or think the words "Crisis Communications" what event(s) do you think of or remember the most? Every organisation, agency, or business need a preparedness plan. Here are a few samples of large companies that were not prepared for a crisis:

In 2005, I was working in Crisis & Disaster Planning with a professional team of communication experts. The crisis that stays in my mind, even today, was when Hurricane Katrina, a tropical cyclone struck the southeastern United States in August 2005. Our executive and deputy director reached out to government officials in Louisiana to warn them and offered to help them to prepare for a potential crisis. They felt they had everything under control and needed no help. It quickly turned into a major disaster. The hurricane and its aftermath claimed more than 1,800 lives and ranked as the costliest natural disaster in history. The mayor of New Orleans at the time ordered an emergency evacuation on the day before the storm, and an estimated 1.2 million people left the area. However, tens of thousands of residents could not or would not leave for various reasons. It was a sad day to see elderly people struggling to survive, families trying to survive in the floods, the homeless community, and those incarcerated and locked away.

In 2022, Balenciaga, a Spanish-founded, French-based luxury fashion house known for its high end ready-to-wear, haute couture, footwear, handbags and accessories faced a massive backlash for an ad campaign that appeared to feature children with BDSM (bondage, discipline or domination, sadism, and masochism) themed accessories and legal documents referencing child pornography laws. The brand deflected blame to the production company and set designers, then issued apologies. Deflecting responsibility rarely works. The public expects accountability, and fast.

In December 2022, Southwest Airlines had a holiday meltdown. Thousands of flights were cancelled due to outdated scheduling systems and weather-related chaos, stranding tens of thousands of passengers during the holiday season. The airline's leadership offered apologies and reimbursements, but the slow initial communication damaged trust. Infrastructure failure can become a public relations crisis if communications lag customer expectations.

When Elon Musk purchased Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion and changed the name to X, people were very angry with the unnecessary changes and the lack of investing time in listening to the ones who were loyal to Twitter. Musk's purchase led to mass layoffs, erratic platform changes, and communication breakdowns internally and externally. Public responses from Musk were often combative or dismissive and trust in the platform plummeted. For many days during that time, there were marches and boycotts in front of Twitter's headquarters in San Francisco. A crisis in leadership transparency can be as destructive as any external threat. Lessons in life have taught me that often, those in leadership positions may make decisions to increase money in their pockets, instead of caring about their customers.

In 2022, Optus, one of Australia's largest telecom providers suffered a massive data breach, followed by a 2023 outage that cut off millions from phone and internet service. They suffered a nationwide network outage that lasted more than 12 hours. Optus customers criticized them for slow updates, vague messaging, and a lack of empathy. They lost many customers during that period. During critical times a fast, transparent, active listening, and emotionally intelligent communication is non-negotiable.

One of the most popular brands, Adidas cut their ties in 2022 with the rapper, Kanye West, or better known as Ye. They were forced to end their relationship with him after he made antisemitic and harmful public statements. Ye was put under review, after he showed a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt design at Paris Fashion Week. Days later, the rapper posted antisemitic comments on his Twitter account. The company hesitated, then terminated the partnership, acknowledging a delay in its reaction. Adidas stated that "His comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful, dangerous, and they violate the company's values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect, and fairness." When a crisis is tied to a high-profile individual or influencer, it must be met with swift value-based decisions. In 2024, Adidas reached a settlement with West to end all legal proceedings between them.

Most people can still remember where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001, when jet planes crashed into the Twin Towers in Manhattan, New York. The attacks resulted in a significant loss of life, widespread destruction, and a profound sense of national trauma. While the United States had systems in place, the attacks exposed significant vulnerabilities and shortcomings in national security and emergency response capabilities. The attacks killed 2,977 people from 90 nations: 2,753 people were killed in New York; 184 people were killed at the Pentagon; and 40 people traveling on flight 93. Was America prepared is a tricky question. While the U.S. had intelligence agencies and law enforcement, these entities didn't effectively share information or coordinate their efforts to prevent the attacks. After taking a closer look, some key areas where preparedness was lacking include:

• Intelligence Sharing: There were intelligence failures, including a lack of coordination between agencies and a failure to recognise the severity of the threat posted by al-Qaeda.

• Aviation Security: Existing security measures at airports were inadequate to prevent the hijacking of planes.

• Emergency Response: First responders, air traffic controllers, and military personnel lacked the necessary situational awareness and communication systems to respond effectively to the unfolding crisis.

• Consequences & Changes: The 9/11 attacks led to significant changes in U.S. policy and practices, leading to increased security measures. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created to enhance aviation security.

The take aways from these examples include:

• Transparency & Honesty: Being open and honest with the public about the situation, even when it's difficult, is crucial for building trust.

• Empathy & Sensitivity: Acknowledging the impact of the crisis on those affected is essential for maintaining public confidence.

• Clear & Consistent Messaging: Providing timely, accurate, and consistent information from trusted sources helps prevent the spread of misinformation.

• Coordination & Collaboration: Effective communication requires coordination between different agencies and stakeholders.

• Preparedness: Have a well-developed crisis or disaster communication plan in place before a crisis occurs is critical for a swift and effective response.

  
  

The worst time to build a crisis communications plan is during a crisis. When emotions run high and time runs out, preparation is your only protection. Whether you're leading a company, a nonprofit, a team, or simply navigating life in uncertain times, crisis communications isn’t about fearing the worst. It’s about being ready to lead with clarity, compassion, and control when the unexpected strikes.

A single misstep in a moment of panic can undo years of trust. But with a thoughtful, practiced plan, backed by the right people, platforms, and principles, you don’t just survive the storm. You emerge with your integrity intact and your relationships stronger than before. So, ask yourself, if the storm hits today, would you be ready? If not, today is the day to start planning with your team.