Crisis Leadership - Dealing with the Press and Public Relations

Part 3 of Crisis Leadership - since it appears we will be in this mode for a little while in 2025!

My Client Needed a Quick Hit:

As part of my coaching/executive/team advisory practice, I offer my clients “quick hits,” which boil down to “call or text me anytime, 24/7” or, like I mentioned in my previous post, “in case of emergency… contact Jim.”

The quick hit my client needed boiled down to how to deal with the press in the midst of a potentially negative company public relations crisis.

Here’s what I shared quickly from my “Best Of” files and my personal experience during this quick hit - in this case, 15 minutes. My client and his team needed a few of these frameworks fast, and I was happy to deliver.

Of course, I reminded my client of the SECS Talk and Islands of Safety Frameworks, which are two of the most popular frameworks in my practice since I first learned these frameworks 20+ years ago on how to deal with the press, reporters, or anyone “trying to create a story”.

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20 Years of PR Learning

The overall focus and theme I’ve learned from the PR pros over the years is based on:

• Creating the headlines you want published - (Your story not theirs)

• Controlling the story (or narrative). If you don’t control the narrative, “They” will.

• Staying focused and always aligning back to your company vision, mission, and values. You are in front of the press after all, and as they say, “any press is an opportunity - make the most of it.”

You can also use this communication framework with “Customer Situations” when you need to handle potentially negative product issues requiring a thoughtful and systematic PR type framework.

The following are a series of my “Best Of” frameworks to help mitigate damage, restore trust, and even strengthen the customer relationship, tailored to various situations:

The CARE Framework - When dealing with customers

The HEARD Framework: Use for employee issues or customer mistakes

The TRUST Framework: Use during times of change or leading through change.

The 3R Framework: Recognize, Reassure, Resolve

The APOLOGY Framework

Cook’s Custom ESCAPE Framework

As you can tell, I’m a fan of acronym frameworks for the sole reason that if you can’t remember any frameworks, especially in times of crisis, what’s the point? Acronyms help “name” and "remember” them at a moment’s notice.

Free subscribers get the first two frameworks below:

Paid Subscribers get all 6 Frameworks, including my Custom ESCAPE Framework!

Enjoy my Best Of's when it comes to communicating during crisis…

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The CARE Framework - Use when dealing with customers.

Communicate: Respond quickly and transparently to the issue.

• What we know, what we don’t know, when we’ll know - (I’ve personally added/modified the “C” in care with this playbook).

• Using a tone of empathy + realism + professionalism.

• Provide continuous updates during the press cycle and/or crisis across as many channels as you can (email, social media, customer support).

Acknowledge: Admit mistakes if applicable and validate customer concerns.

• Example: “We understand your frustration, and we take full responsibility for [specific issue].”

Resolve: Outline clear, actionable steps to resolve the problem.

• Clear, actionable steps to resolve the issue or problem.

• Get specific and offer solutions like refunds, replacements, or expedited services.

• Provide a realistic timeline for resolution.

Educate: Share how you will prevent future issues.

• Example: “Here is how we are updating our internal processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

• Example in Action: When Netflix experienced outages and throttling in the early days of streaming, they publicly apologized, offered affected users a free month of service, and explained what they were doing to improve reliability.

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The HEARD Framework - Use for employee issues or customers when you’ve made a mistake.

Borrowed from hospitality industries like Disney, this framework emphasizes listening and empathy.

Hear: Actively listen to the employee complaint(s) without interrupting.

• Empathize and summarize what you heard from them with a focus on acknowledging their emotions.

  • Example: “We know how disappointing this must have been for you.”

Apologize: Offer a genuine apology (even if it’s not entirely your fault).

Resolve: Work collaboratively with the employee to find a solution.

Diagnose: Investigate the root cause of the problem and share insights.

• Example in Action: Airlines often use this method for handling flight delays, ensuring customers feel heard and offering tangible compensation like flight vouchers.

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Paid subscribers unlock the next 4 frameworks below.