Crisis communication: Only two-thirds of us are ready
28th February 2006 by Robert Holland, ABC
Only two-thirds of the respondents to a recent IABC Research Foundation survey said their organizations have a crisis communication plan. That’s startling, especially because the survey was conducted in December, at the end of an extraordinary year for crises around the world.
The good news is that among those who said their organizations have crisis communication plans and used them, 99% said the plans were effective in helping them manage organizational crises. This is good ammunition for communicators to use when challenged about the need for a crisis communication plan.
(By the way, I’ve never understood why an intelligent business leader would challenge the need for a crisis communication plan or any other communication plan. Would a business try to operate without a financial plan? Without a human resources plan?)
One of the most troubling findings from the survey is that communicators whose organizations don’t have crisis communication plans cite lack of senior management support as the primary reason a plan does not exist. Again, why would an intelligent business leader not support a plan to help the organization recover from a crisis?
Do you face such resistance? Why do you believe so many business leaders are reluctant to invest in what seems to be such a vital tool?
Disclosure: The survey was conducted on behalf of the IABC Research Foundation by my business, Holland Communication Solutions LLC, and my partner, Gill Research LLC.
February 28th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
These findings are indeed fascinating, disturbing and should serve as a wake-up call for all communicators. Readers of this blog might be interested in knowing that an article by Robert and Katrina on the findings of this survey will be published as the cover story for the March/April issue of IABC’s magazine, Communication World.