Crisis Management
What is crisis management?
Crisis management is a professional approach to handling the crises that come up with organizations and people who are often in the public eye. Crisis management is one of the special realms of the art of public relations. Public relations consultants are trained in the arts of crisis management. A "crisis" is a negative event. A "crisis" is when something bad, unwanted, or terrible happens. If an oil tanker crashes in the pacific ocean and sends thousands and thousands of gallons of oil roiling out to sea, the company that owns the oil tanker is going to need some crisis management, and is going to need it fast. If a politician is accused of taking bribes, he or she will require crisis management. If a famous movie star has been caught making racist comments on camera, you can bet that a crisis management team will be brought in immediately.
Be more specific about example in which crisis management might be needed.
Ok, let's take the example of a politician who's been accused of taking bribes. First, the crisis management team would try to stop the bleeding. To "stop the bleeding" is to do the very minimal, basic things that are required in keeping a bad situation from becoming worse. In the event of a political scandal, a crisis management team would attempt to keep rumors from going wild. They'd want, in other words, for news agencies and other media outlets just to stick to the facts (what is known) about the case and not to engage in speculation or to believe the comments of the politician's enemies. The crisis management team would therefore send news releases and press releases to the major media outlets across the country. These releases would contain the politician's denial of taking part in bribery, all the facts known about the accusation, and probably some negative things about the people making the accusation. These days, rumors spread very quickly, and especially political rumors. Crisis management teams, therefore, focus early on in stopping the damage from spreading.
What's the next step? What are other things a crisis management team might do?
After the bleeding has been stopped, after the flow of rumors has been checked, the crisis management team might go on the offensive. So far, their acts have been defensive - their acts have basically centered on defending the politician in question by stopping rumors from getting out of hand and by circulating the politician's denial of wrongdoing. When a crisis management team goes on the offensive, on the other hand, they are trying to take over the crisis. They're trying to take control of the crisis, to be in charge of the crisis. The public would be reminded of the politician's spotless reputation. The public would be reminded of the politician's long years of public service. The public might also be reminded of how worthless, false, and lowly the politician's accusers are. Crisis management teams handle both the defensive and offensive measures of crisis managing.
What are some of the attributes of a good crisis management team or consultant?
A good crisis management team or consultant knows the media very, very well. They are in touch with the media; they have friends on the inside; they've spent long years gaining the trust of reporters and media moguls. When a crisis occurs, they have a faster way of responding to it than would a person without such contacts. Crisis management teams and consultants are quick on their feet; they think fast; they have a smooth, polished public demeanor; they don't buckle under pressure. Crisis management teams and consultants are used to long hours under the most trying conditions. Crisis management consultants and teams have mastered the art of "spin" and of getting the public to see thing their way.
For more information on crisis management and other public relations matters, please see the following websites:
http://101publicrelations.com/pitchletter.html
http://101publicrelations.com/publicity.html
