In times of crisis, silence is not golden!

You’ve just settled in for a well-deserved rest when the phone rings. It’s your plant foreman, who screams into the phone, “The valves on the pollution control equipment are stuck and we’re dumping hazardous waste into the Milwaukee River!”

11 p.m. You arrive at the plant. All is quiet. At the back of the plant, you find three night shift employees trying to close the valve. You ask, “Has anyone called the city yet?”

11:05 p.m. Frustrated, you try to manually close the valve with a hammer.

11:10 p.m. Still hammering away, you are startled to see the guard from the front gate approaching. He says excitedly, “There’s a reporter at the gate. She wants to know about a spill! Do we have a spill?” You groan and say, “How did they find out so quickly?” The guard’s response is cut short by the sound of an approaching siren. The city’s hazardous waste containment unit has arrived.

11:20 p.m. The arrival of emergency vehicles has brought more reporters and some area residents to the plant gate, all demanding to know what is going on. Looking out at the media circus, you mutter, “Leeches!” and close the door to your office, hoping they will just go away.

In times of a crisis, silence is not golden. Whether the crisis is weather or finance-related, involves criminal activity, or potential harm to the public, the key to effectively handling a crisis is open and honest communication.

Organizations that fail to communicate create a negative impression, making victims, employees, the media, and the public angry. As history has shown, that can result in a loss of business or worse, business failure.

Ideally, an organization will have a crisis communications plan in place. Among the steps that should be included:

. Appoint a spokesperson. Only one person should be authorized to speak to the media and the public. This ensures that the company is speaking with one voice and providing consistent information to the public and the media. It is important that everyone within a company be told who is handling media inquiries and to refer all media inquiries to that person. In addition, it might be wise for inexperienced spokespeople to receive training in public speaking and conducting interviews with the media. The more polished the spokesperson, the better the impression made with the public.

. Make an immediate disclosure of the facts. If a matter is still under investigation, say so. Update and correct information as the investigation proceeds. If dates, statistics, and other information are pertinent, make them available. While an organization is not required to reveal confidential information, it is in a company’s best interest to put their “spin” on facts likely to come to light before someone else does. Taking the offensive makes it easier to get a company’s position before the media. When a company operates on the defensive, they often lose the media war. Above all, avoid “no comment.” In a crisis, that implies guilt.

. Bring in outside experts if necessary. Organizational spokespeople will not have the time to become medical or environmental experts in times of crisis, and should avoid technical questions they cannot answer. Sometimes, experts are available from within the organization. Other times, it might be wise to bring in a health or safety expert to discuss possible short and long-term outcomes, procedures that should be followed, treatment options if symptoms or illness occur, etc.

. Tell the truth, no matter how much it hurts. Once an organization is caught in a lie, it loses all credibility. It colors every statement made thereafter.

. Develop a communications network. Make sure key groups—executives, the media, victims, the public and employees—have access to accurate information. Do not overlook the importance of keeping employees informed--friends and neighbors will be asking them for “the real story.” Depending on the nature of a crisis, press conferences, press releases, blogs, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, websites, hotlines, town meetings, direct mail brochures, or special employee alerts may be appropriate. It may be necessary to bring in a public relations consultant to coordinate communications.

. Be accessible to the media. The spokesperson, or spokespeople, should be accessible to the media 24 hours-a-day until the crisis is over. In addition, receptionists and other key staff should be told how to handle media calls, so that all inquires are responded to promptly. “The company did not return telephone calls” or “The company spokesperson was unavailable” leaves a negative impression, even if the reporter did call at 2 a.m.

. Humanize the company’s response to a crisis. Where there are victims, the company should always make it clear that they are the first priority. Offer immediate assistance, whether that involves temporary housing, medical assistance, or replacement of a defective product. If assistance is offered immediately, the company is likely to minimize the public relations and legal fallout from the crisis. Downplay financial repercussions, unless they are central to the crisis.

. Keep cool. Crises create emotional situations. Lack of sleep and stress only serve to intensify those emotions. Getting argumentative or angry in public generates the wrong type of media coverage. When the heat starts to rise, terminate the situation as quickly as possible.

. Follow up. When the crisis is over, report on the steps taken to resolve the crisis and what steps will be taken to avoid similar situations in the future. Internally, document procedures followed during the crisis, and note which were successful. Put those strategies in writing, so the next time, the organization is prepared.

Next week: Developing a disaster plan!