Marketing

Managing a crisis as well as a reputation

Protecting your reputation is an ongoing process and is integral to everything you do, not just something remembered in a crisis, writes Macia Grebot

It goes without saying that the priority at the time of a crisis is to deal with the matter in hand and not be worrying about procedures. However, because public opinion is more important now than ever before, it is vital that there is a timely and considered media and public response.

A carefully built reputation can be destroyed by a mismanaged crisis, which will be remembered long after the incident has passed, while one that is well managed with due consideration given to the reputation and integrity of the school can enhance the school’s standing within the community.

Crises tend to come in a number of different forms, the following broadly being the most likely:
• an issue that is known but not yet public (eg students caught with drugs);
• a scandal that everyone else seems to know before you (eg unacceptable behaviour among staff on a school journey);  and
• an unpredictable out-of-the-blue disaster - an incident that every school hopes it will never have to deal with, but which could include an accident or act of violence, inside or outside school and, at worst, a major incident (eg fatal stabbing or a coach accident on school journey) or act of terrorism.

“It was one moment, one moment. A bolt of lightning which you could never predict.”
Headteacher, following the fatal stabbing of a 14-year old student.

The hydra
The media comes in many forms: television, press, radio and internet and news travels faster than ever before. As a result of technology, it takes some six seconds for news to be broadcast around the world: just think of the impact an image or short video captured on a mobile phone can have across a global audience. Every school needs to be prepared for the effect this could have on its immediate community, the wider community and its reputation.

The key to effective crisis management is preparation. The management of reputations embraces all elements of a school’s activities – internal and external – and proper planning for any and all elements is important – planning in the event of a crisis is, quite literally, critical and should include these fundamental elements:
• established procedures for communicating with parents and key stakeholders;
• a trained and briefed spokesperson to represent the school; and
• a flow of information to media representatives as the situation progresses, but only if appropriate.

Talk is cheap
Media personnel have a duty to report the facts of a situation, just as the public has a right to be informed. The media is not granted the privilege of attending, representatives have a right to be there.

A number of factors will determine the media response to any situation and the first is newsworthiness – disasters are the very essence of hard news because they involve ordinary people. Disaster is a powerful magnet for the public and hence for the media.

The media will use their own sources and will put together their information and publish photographs because they want to communicate the face of the disaster.

A second factor is competition. Journalists will be under a lot of pressure to print or show images, to obtain copy or pictures to relay back to their editors. There is also a cut-throat element involving the competing demands from various types of media – from newspapers, magazines, satellite/digital TV. So for journalists and photographers there are great rewards from being the first with a story or by looking for a different angle to a story.

If your school is involved in a crisis – be aware and be prepared – journalists are likely to arrive at the scene; may arrive in large numbers and will be better equipped than you are. Co-operate with them, give them timely information, but remember that nothing is ever “off the record”.

Stories are reported and filed, so maintaining an open dialogue will help to ensure that accurate information is used and should avoid inaccuracies. Ensure that media representatives are speaking to the official school spokesperson, because if media representatives are denied that sort of access, they will get a story wherever they can and the person(s) they interview may not be who you would have chosen, trained and prepared to represent your school and you will have lost the opportunity to put across your point of view.

Points to note:
Your school should have a planned approach to all elements of communications, as well as communications protocols, which need to be proactive, flexible and adaptable across a variety of situations and kept up-to-date with changes to personnel.

Stick to the facts, avoid speculation, but correct inaccuracies; ensure that any response is co-ordinated with others: the media should not hear before parents, students, staff and governors.

Remember that the media have a job to do. In due course you may want to use the media to publish individual accounts. If support is needed to promote the school after a crisis, parents’ letters and reactions are effective.

Local radio is an underused media tool and offers the opportunity to talk directly to audiences using chat shows and drive time phone-ins etc and are generally keen to get involved with items of community interest.

Your school website is an excellent communication tool and is a point of reference where you can update information on an ongoing basis. It is somewhere that parents increasingly turn to and means that you can keep them informed without your telephone lines becoming overwhelmed.

Openness and responsiveness during a crisis will, if the situation is handled in a planned and considered way, enhance the school’s respect and credibility with the media. This could be used to the school’s advantage in the longer term.

The middle of a difficult situation is not the best time to decide on an effective strategy and crises do not generally happen at convenient times, or during the school day.

Handled badly, the fall-out from a crisis could destroy your school’s reputation – handled well, it could enhance it. The preparation starts here.

Macia Grebot is the co-founder and managing director of Grebot Donnelly Associates. Macia can be contacted on 020 8892 2242 or info@grebotdonnelly.com or through www.grebotdonnelly.com.

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