Robyn Sefiani, Managing Director, Sefiani Communications Group
A frightening incident when an out-of-control car careened onto the sports field of a high school in Victoria recently and seriously injured a number of students demonstrated that crises can, and often do, hit suddenly and unexpectedly.
They affect all kinds of organisations, both large and small, and getting into a sticky situation is much easier than getting out of one.
Fortunately, most crises can be contained, if not avoided altogether. It’s all about being prepared so that you are ready should a crisis unexpectedly occur.
Though a crisis would certainly not be invited, a careful handling of a difficult situation could have the potential of ultimately bringing benefits to a school. It may be a chance to win the respect of stakeholders for weathering the storm, and the increased loyalty of those who value your honest approach.
The key to weathering the storm is to be prepared for it. Here are nine steps to ensure your school is prepared:
Whether it’s two in the morning or two in the afternoon, pick up the phone and gather any information you can. All public-facing staff members need to be briefed on the situation and key front-line staff need to be instructed on what to say and how.
In a crisis you need trusted, reliable channels that your key stakeholders, such as parents and staff, know and respect. Today, that means social media channels as well as the more traditional sources.
Be sure to push all information through a central channel and ensure your stakeholders know where to come for information. Some schools create sections of their websites, or even separate sites, which are activated only in the event of an emergency. If you have a ‘dark’ site, put all the information you have available on to it and then make it go live as soon as possible. Make sure it is mobile friendly; as word spreads, people must be able to access your information quickly and easily. People nowadays expect and demand instant information and regular updates.
Your spokesperson must be prepared, trained and ready to rise to the challenge. Messaging is key, but so is expressing empathy, and assuring your stakeholders that action is being taken to resolve the situation. Have a back-up spokesperson and brief all front-line stakeholders.
Put out a progress report or update at least once a day; three times a day is ideal. It reassures the key stakeholders and wider community that the organisation is taking the issue seriously, and provides a slice of positivity in an otherwise negative situation.
These days, news breaks online, and more than likely, it will break on Twitter. Understanding the sentiments and emotions being expressed is critically important. You need to be able to “pick the panic”, quickly recognising where and how your key stakeholders are expressing their concerns.
The golden rule in a crisis is to take responsibility and act fast. Today the ideal window of time to respond to a crisis is 15 minutes – an hour at most. See a previous School Governance article on the importance of acting fast ‘Gunman at school not reported for 14 minutes due to policy ignorance‘.
When the crisis draws to a close, mark the occasion and declare the crisis over. Move on to a ‘new normal’, and say what it is. This helps ensure the key affected communities know you’ve learnt your lesson and that it won’t happen again.
Schools often forget this very important step, preferring to put the matter to rest the moment the crisis is over. However, it’s very important to share the lessons you’ve learnt through a proper debrief.
Here’s what makes a great debrief:
– Start with something positive such as: What worked?;
– What surprised you? This is an excellent question because it provokes reflection and can often lead to great ideas; and
– What do you need to do differently next time?
Last but not least, make sure you update your crisis plan frequently. Should another crisis arise, an up-to-date plan ensures that you’ll know how to handle the next situation deftly and with integrity.