How can Internal Communications professionals manage a crisis while balancing stakeholder needs?

Take the time to explore the stakeholders for different crisis types. This should be mapped out in advance when looking at all the different crisis possibilities for the organisation. Speak to different functions in the organisation to understand what they consider a crisis. Employees as a stakeholder group is also too broad - break it down further using personas for different employee types so you can see how the crisis will really impact them.

Some might argue that in the heat of a crisis, you can't afford to spend too much time understanding every stakeholder's perspective. This could create a perception of indecisiveness. For those same reasons, plan ahead. A crisis happens outside your sphere of control. As communicators, what we have control over is being prepared. How does this help? Knowing your stakeholders allows for more: 1. Targeted approach to communications that seeks to inform without overwhelming. 2. Empathetic way to craft messages that are meaning-makers. 3. Responsive communication that allows for resonance, not just relevancy. Understanding stakeholders is integral to effective crisis communications.

Absolutely. In my early days handling crisis communication, I quickly realised the essence of truly understanding our stakeholders. It wasn't merely about identifying them; it was an exercise in empathy, gauging reactions, and crafting messages that would resonate. This deeper understanding not only built trust but ensured a level of transparency that was crucial during crisis situations.

It's good to have a crisis management plan in place and ready to put into action in case a crisis happens. Establishing a business continuity management team, which is usually made up of representatives from different parts of the business such as senior leaders, external comms and internal comms is a good approach. You can plan and even role play different types of crisis scenarios. This provides an opportunity to identify and agree which internal communications channels to use in different scenarios. You may choose to use text or IM to communicate swiftly and then opt for more personal and engaging channels such as f2f or video for ongoing reinforcement of messages to ensure more connection and authentic conveyance of messages.

It's imperative to reflect on what succeeded and what fell short, a critical step in our ongoing pursuit of improvement. But beyond this immediate aftermath lies a deeper truth. Crises have a profound impact, not just on what an organization does, but on its very essence, its core identity. They reshape the organizational DNA - "who we are." Understanding this "who we are" after a crisis is paramount. It's the cornerstone for cultivating a post-crisis culture that guarantees growth and resilience, ensuring that we emerge from each experience stronger than before.

Focus on the key elements of the crisis and identify which stakeholders are most impacted and when. It’s tempting during crisis mode to view all stakeholders as one homogeneous group but a crisis depends on consistency and well structured information and updates.