Transparency in Crisis Communication
If you have responded to a report of misconduct in your community, you know that it is only a matter of time until word begins to spread. You might read about it on social media or hear about it in community gossip and receive calls for “transparent communication” from your community.
When everyone in your community wants to know the details about a crisis, what is your obligation to tell them?
There are competing obligations when you are communicating about a crisis. You must consider the health and safety of your community, the obligations of your organization and the impact on those impacted by the crisis.
Here are five tips to consider:
Create a communication team. There are competing voices when it comes to communication. Understanding who within your organization will contribute to the messaging is key. Consider the need for external crisis communicators or PR representatives.
Understand your ethical and legal obligations before communicating. While you may want to share “transparently,” you may be bound by legal or ethical obligations that prevent you from doing so. Consult counsel to understand your risks.
Transparency does not mean totality. You can be transparent without telling your community everything. It means being transparent about the fact that you cannot be totally transparent. Share what you can, and tell the community why you cannot share the rest.
Consider the parties involved. A trauma-informed approach to communication demands the organization consider all parties in its messaging. Depending on the scenario, consult with those involved, or consult with experts about how you should be taking those involved into account in your messaging.
Have a plan for addressing feedback. Once you go public with messaging, members of the community will have opinions. Create an internal plan to respond to feedback before you release the message.
Alcalaw helps clients navigate communication as part of Alcalaw’s crisis response work.
