Post-crisis reflection is a critical tool for communicators

Readiness and response are core principles of crisis communications.

But there’s another R-word not being addressed enough, according to Karen Naumann-Blevins, an adjunct professor in crisis communications at the University of West Virginia.

Reflection is often left out of the major talking points, she said. But it can greatly shape a company’s crisis communications strategy.

“There is a significant post-crisis phase that’s often overlooked,” Naumann-Blevins said. “It’s very critically important to go back and evaluate your crisis response and revise based on lessons learned. And then you have to go and rebuild…that’s a really important piece that I want crisis communicators to put in their planning.

“As with all best practice communication models, the final step is evaluation,” she said.

Only through evaluation can organizations revise and improve based on lessons learned from crisis communication management.

“The efficacy of the crisis communication plan and implementation of it are two distinct aspects of crisis communications evaluation,” Naumann-Blevins said. “From a higher, organizational perspective, evaluation of the crisis impact is another post-crisis endeavor.”

In other words, there is a performance evaluation and an impact evaluation, Naumann-Blevins said.

A crisis in stages

No longer is there a singular response strategy when a crisis occurs, she said. It has to be a much more sophisticated, robust approach than even 10 years ago.

Crises can be thought of in three parts:

• Pre-crisis: What are your prevention strategies? How are you prepared? How are risk management strategies baked into everyday communications?
• Crisis happens: What is the rapid response? What is the protocol and game plan to mitigate it?
• Post-crisis: What worked? What didn’t? How can you shift your approach? How can you rebuild relationships with key stakeholders, clients and employees?

Crisis response should be an ongoing part of the management of the communications function with greater emphasis on the post-crisis phase, Naumann-Blevins said.

“Your crisis communications plans need to have measurable objectives and desired outcomes,” Naumann-Blevins said. “And you need to be measuring in value and weighing that strategically throughout your response and make sure it aligns with your organization’s goals and stakeholders’ expectations.

This can be accomplished through post-crisis feedback through surveys, interviews or meetings in order to determine satisfaction with the organization’s crisis response and improvement points, she said.

Naumann-Blevins added that digital and traditional media coverage can also be analyzed, not only for overall sentiment toward the organization but also for whether organizational messaging was included.

Keep comms in the loop

Unfortunately, there’s no secret sauce that produces a perfect solution, she said. But organizations that mitigate crises well are ones that keep communicators in the loop with management teams regularly.

“Communicators should be a part of leadership all the time,” Naumann-Blevins said.

There’s no value in calling up the communications department after a crisis occurs, she said. Crisis comms teams must be well-integrated into an organization’s overall response strategy in order to address the situation strategically and ethically.

“I’ve been doing this for decades now and I’ve seen the confluence of cognitive behavioral psychology and just how much more sophisticated we approach this. So I see the importance of communications and (its role) in keeping our world as peaceful as possible – which is literally preventing a crisis every day.”

As an example, Naumann said, depending on the crisis type, stakeholders may need ongoing psychological assistance.

“If the crisis resulted in the loss of human life, memorials to honor these may be thoughtfully hosted,” she said. “Permanent plaques or statues may be erected. Contemporary online memorials allow for expressions of condolences. Additionally, anniversaries may be an opportunity to mark recognition.”

Register here and join Naumann-Blevins and other industry experts for Ragan’s Crisis Communications Virtual Conference on Tuesday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET.

Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.