There is always more to the story in a crisis

At Daymark we keenly watch how companies navigate potentially reputationally damaging issues and crises as they play out in the media. One thing we rarely do however is to comment publicly on them. Here is why.

There is always a lot going on behind the scenes in a crisis – we know this from our first-hand experience. And while the fundamentals of good crisis management don’t change around planning, practice and communication at a time of limited knowledge, there are often dynamics at play that pressure how executive teams respond.

As you read the list below, read them not as excuses but as what might be happening behind the scenes – things that will never be told but we know have a high probability of being played out.

Here are five things Daymark has seen close-up.

Criminal activity: police or other authorities may be involved with events. Being able to answer all questions the public may have in a crisis can put other potentially more important operations at risk.

Legal considerations: close on the above, the legal voice in a crisis team is an important and powerful one. Getting public comments right or within legal parameters for whatever reason again leads to perceived gaps in expected levels of communication in a crisis. Think here about duty of care for those impacted, privacy, and the consequences of misleading statements as examples.

Executive strain: We have seen it. Executives being harassed through their public profile in a crisis; gun shy and worn out, sometimes trolled. Their health can deteriorate to the point it is simply not right to have them front the media or be the face of the crisis.

Too much advice: While such considerations can be avoided with a well constituted crisis team, everyone has an opinion on what to do. Vested interests (for example investors) can insist their own advisers be present in the room. Could you say no?

Stakeholder pressure: Government and regulators for example may have a keen interest in the level of disclosure in a crisis, especially if criminal activity or other investigations, even negotiations, are under way. There could be very important reasons limiting what can be disclosed.

It is typically only those in the crisis room who know the most about what is going on and why. From the sidelines you never really know what may be going on. See if you can read between the lines in the media coverage on the next crisis that takes your interest.