One of the initial challenges crisis communicators face is selecting an appropriate press and public-facing voice for the organisation involved in order to begin to communicate critical information to the press and the public. Whether it is a multinational corporation, a government agency, or a not-for-profit entity in a crisis, who becomes a spokesperson can be as important as what they say.
The proper employment of this “executive voice” is an interesting challenge for crisis communicators and one that deserves the proper amount of consideration before recommending a course of action.
When is a CEO or senior leader the best public face for an organisation in a crisis?
There are many situations where the appropriate spokesperson for an organisation is its senior leadership. In some circumstances, it might be essential for our spokesperson to be a senior decision maker.
Several common scenarios where a CEO or senior leadership figure makes an ideal spokesperson include:
- When the incident involves a loss of life involving the company’s operations. In this situation, outside stakeholders will expect an appropriate measure of empathy and accountability from senior leadership.
- During an incident involving a massive disruption of the organisation’s operations, not necessarily a loss of life but one that may cast doubt on the company’s competence and direction. A good example would be the more common scenario of recent years, where a major airline suffered massive technology failures near a major holiday season, causing system-wide delays and stranding travelers in destinations far from home.
- When the nature of the problem lies in a major industry shift, or policy change. Those watching will expect a senior decision maker to explain and rationalise high-level, high-impact decisions.
When is a CEO or senior leader not the appropriate spokesperson in a crisis?
- The most common instance where we would advise against an executive level spokesperson is measured by the magnitude of the incident itself. At times, an individual crisis can be prolonged and blown out of proportion by senior leadership commenting too early. Remember, a senior voice can always be added later if the situation escalates but often can’t be taken out of the messaging mix once put forward.
- At times, what is really called for is a local or subject matter expert rather than a leadership figure. For companies with multinational operations, consider whether an executive who potentially lacks local language skills and cultural sensitivities might actually increase the concerns of those who might be allayed by a more appropriate local voice. If the challenge is addressing a highly technical issue like the details of an oil spill clean-up effort, the best spokesperson might not be a CEO with a background in finance.
- Another less common but very plausible scenario is when the crisis itself involves the executive in question, or a close associate – then it will be near impossible for the press and public to view them as an objective voice, and this will most likely have an impact on the organisation’s long-term brand value and reputation.
Questions to ask to guide your decision making
How do we make the best decision to recommend the “executive voice” as a spokesperson? Consider the following factors:
- Does the situation involve the company or organisation, or a specific or bigger local issue that can be addressed, at least initially, at a lower level?
- Is the event serious enough that the public, regulators, and authorities will expect a hands-on, engaged effort from senior leadership, such as in the aftermath of a major oil spill, the crash of a passenger plane or a major data breach?
- Do the events in question call for a regional voice like a local operations head who can speak in the appropriate language and with the appropriate cultural sensitivity; a subject matter expert like a chief technology officer; a qualified pilot or master mariner? Or is there a need to speak to macro events affecting an industry sector or a change in policy that only a leadership figure could best address?
- Perhaps most importantly – are the senior leaders in question prepared and ready to act as media spokespeople, potentially being engaged in press briefings, interviews and question and answer sessions? These are perishable, specific skill sets and an unprepared voice can often do as much damage as help, in a high stress, high intensity situation.
While the “executive voice” can be a powerful tool, it is not a one size fits all solution, especially in crisis communications. Many in the ranks of leadership will feel the instinct to rush to speak out, explain or react in defence of their organisation during a crisis. Others may feel they should remain above the communications effort and focus on the operational issues at hand.
Discuss as a team when the “executive voice” is appropriate. And include your senior executives in your crisis planning, ensuring they are all engaged, and have the opportunities for media and messaging training. This will build their confidence to project a message and work well with the media.
Asking the right questions early on, and creating the best resources for your team will only enhance your ability to protect your organisation and project critical information in times of crisis.
