Communicator panel helps members hone crisis skills

Steve Honig led a panel discussion on communication skills for public relations professionals with fellow Club members Edward Segal, author of “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals and Other Emergencies,” and Karen Naumann, April 13.

The group began by discussing what makes something a crisis and the importance of not immediately overreacting when an incident occurs. Treating a non-crisis as a crisis can have the opposite intended result and, in many cases, exacerbate a situation, they said. 

Segal discussed the importance of advance preparedness and how certain crises can develop during a period of time. He also advised against waiting too long to assess crises as they can escalate quickly. The group discussed best practices for advising senior management on the need for action and that sometimes a worst-case scenario picture is needed to get sign-off for a crisis communication plan. 

Naumann, an independent consultant who has worked for various government agencies including the Department of Defense, advised assessing a crisis by its effect on the organization and stakeholders as well as the speed at which the crisis is developing. Naumann advised remembering that internal audiences play an important role in managing a crisis as employees often provide information and insight on the media and others.

The group talked about how “doing nothing” in response to a crisis situation is a conscious decision and, is, in fact, “doing something.” Oftentimes the right move is to take a step back and let the crisis pass on its own.

Honig, who runs a public relations firm with offices in Los Angeles and New York, offered some lessons learned from both corporate and celebrity crises. He spoke to the importance of having honest and direct relationships with clients in order to provide proper counsel. Honig also underscored the notion of a public relations counselor working with clients to take specific, rectifying actions in response to a crisis, rather than just putting out statements and trying to create a narrative.