Crisis Management Key #2: Know the Facts Before You Say Anything

Sounds obvious, doesn't it? But, you’d be surprised how many executives can plunge into a public comment as ill-informed as Custer was before he led 300 soldiers into perhaps the most poorly considered military offensive in history... against 5000 plus Native Americans who were seeking to avoid placement on reservations.

Lets face it, the adrenaline-inducing environment of a crisis can loosen even the most seasoned executive’s lips... they perhaps have been answering questions from police or medical personnel... or have been notifying legal and insurance counsel.

Into this environment can enter the news media... full of questions and invariably on some drop dead deadline. Too often, we can place the news media on a pedestal and feel as if we should cooperate instantly with their needs.

The problem is, once you say something to the news media you cannot take it back. This has implications far beyond the PR arena... just ask any lawyer who's been confronted with a news clip months later in a court or deposition setting.

So I advise my clients to make sure fact-finding is the very first activity to take place once the crisis communications plan has been activated. Fact-finding needs to be conducted in a disciplined and measured fashion... no matter how stressful or exciting the environment has become. And, it doesn't have to take a lot of time... you just have to know what and who to ask.

I give my clients a checklist for fact-finding. Again, the checklist will vary depending on the nature of the organization or company but here is a basic list that could at least get you going:

1) What happened, when, where, to whom, by whom?

2) Which laws or regulatory requirements, if any, were violated in the incident?

3) Which company guidelines or policies were violated in the incident?

4) What is the exact nature of any collateral property damage or personal injury associated with the event?

5) What were the procedural or human factors that led to the event?

Again, the list can go on and on but I think you get the point. And, the point is "knowledge is very definitely power" when it comes to getting in front of a developing crisis.