Impending Crisis Got You Up at Night?

Recently, I’ve noticed that in-house marketing and communications leaders from companies of all industries and sizes have been hyper-focused on their issues preparedness (or lack thereof).

This shift isn’t limited to big companies who are accustomed to activist investors or political attacks. Smaller companies who once felt immune to public scrutiny are now equally concerned. With both prominent and under-the-radar organizations making headlines for public missteps, the looming threat of a reputational exposure feels all too real for in-house teams of all shapes and sizes.

I turned to Nell Callahan , founder of Frontwood Strategies, and an award-winning public affairs strategist who has helped some of the nation’s largest brands navigate crises. Here, Nell shares her thoughts on how in-house leaders can prepare their organizations for potential future controversies, and hopefully keep themselves out of the fray.

Rachel Huff: For many companies, the threat of a cybersecurity incident or event of that nature was always a hypothetical risk. More recently, there’s this palpable fear of a spokesperson saying something to a reporter or the company posting something seemingly benign on social media and getting sucked into controversy. What do you think accounts for this heightened awareness of reputational risk?

Nell Callahan: The risk of losing control of the narrative online has always been there, but I appreciate that new found fears may lead organizations and leaders to think more strategically. The continued fragmentation of media and the diminished reach of X have made it hard to stamp out misinformation and regain the narrative before a crisis spins out of control. And there have been many recent examples of organizations and leaders that have been caught up in reputational crises – rightly or wrongly – and that often serves as a cautionary tale. 

When building strategies and messaging with my clients, I encourage them to define a “win.” We stay focused on our audiences, our values, and our mission. This planning goes a long way to preventing a crisis. 

RH: The current Israel-Hamas war is the latest and one of the most intense examples of companies and organizations facing blowback for how they have responded—and in some cases, for not responding at all. In these big, newmaking moments, how can companies navigate when to make a statement, and when to say silent?

NC: Knowing your audiences, living your values, staying true to your organization’s mission are essential to navigating these moments. When organizations fall short, it is often because they forgot an audience – like their employees – or they create a one-size-fits all approach that doesn’t meet the moment or feel authentic.

RH: We’ve seen companies get flak for picking and choosing which issues or current events to post or make a statement about. How can companies toe the line between being true to their values while not opening themselves up to controversy?

NC: This goes back to how important it is to define a win—to know what your organization stands for and to live and communicate that through every aspect of your work. How an organization engages with its partners, its employees, and its vendors; the policies and practices that guide the organization’s work; and its impact on the community should all feed into the decision-making process for how to comment and act on current events. Be grounded in authenticity and do more than post a graphic on social media.  

RH: Should it fall on the communications or marketing teams to make decisions on where and how to engage?

NC: Communicating is a team sport, and there should be on-going conversations across organizations on proactive and reactive strategies. For example, human resources, legal, product, and advocacy will all bring different perspectives to the strategy. Their in-put and feedback will make any strategy stronger. 

RH: Social media has changed the game. Having a social media presence is table stakes for companies, but does that open them up to the expectation that they engage with every follower comment, every current event, every heritage month, etc.?

NC: Organizations often get out of social media what they put into it. If you have taken the time to cultivate a real community that engages, that audience probably has high expectations for hearing from you during moments of interest. If the organization doesn’t meet the moment, there is a risk of losing that audience. On the other end of the spectrum, if social media is a low priority, there are likely fewer expectations from your audience. 

RH: Let’s say a company doesn’t currently have an issues preparedness or crisis response plan in place. Where should they start?

NC: If you don’t have a plan, you need a plan. Start with thinking through all the types of crises you could encounter—financial, legal, political, regulatory, operational, reputational, cybersecurity, employee-related, leadership transition, and acts of God. Depending on the size of your organization, you may need to create a working group to identify the scenarios, decision-makers needed at the table, and the materials you need to respond in a timely manner. You need to set goals for each scenario, create a timeline for responding, and create draft materials. This process can be long, but should be continuous so that it always reflects your organization's current state and the landscape that you are operating in.