Page 198 - Crisis Communication Practical PR Strategies

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Organizational Barriers 179
Crisis communication is one of the most studied and analysed cor-
porate disciplines chronicled in a business manager’s textbook. We
study the Tylenol crisis, read how to deal with natural disasters, watch
the ethical mistakes of corporate executives, and review the checklists
for good corporate social responsibility. The public relations profes-
sion has a core set of communication guidelines that tell practitioners
how to counsel their companies and clients during crises and public
affairs challenges. This chapter examines some of the common organi-
zational pitfalls that public relations professionals can watch out for, to
help their companies manage when faced with the next crisis or public
affairs stumble.

Dismissing the issue, marginalizing
the opposition

‘Who are those “nuts” at the door?’

A major accident at a plant, a storm that wreaks havoc, product-
related injuries or a recall. These are all crises that can’t be ignored
and management understands the need to marshal resources and
move quickly and decisively.
But what about those crises that are just starting to percolate? Not a
full-blown crisis; just an issue that seems confined to a particular area
or stakeholder group. Even when these issues explode on to the
national or international scene, it’s sometimes too easy for manage-
ment to dismiss either the issue or the group. You’ve heard it: ‘These
people just have an agenda, ignore them and their issue goes away.
Respond and we just feed the fire.’
A common challenge that PR professionals often face is manage-
ment’s all-too-eager desire to dismiss the crisis or issue as short-term
and inconsequential or to underestimate the stakeholders behind the
issue and dismiss their agenda. Sometimes it’s easy to understand why.
Perhaps the issue seems small, insignificant, or maybe even ‘silly’.
There’s a new movement in Europe that is taking a stand against
‘eating fast’. If you’re a multi-billion dollar fast food chain, this may
look like a bunch of folks on the fringe who hate eating greasy fast
food. Or maybe this movement is really a response against the US
notion of ‘fast’ everything. An astute PR person may see in this the
underpinnings of an anti-US movement rebelling against our cultural
influence on Europe. (Who can blame them? Just look at the TV pro-
gramming we blast overseas.)