Mastering Crisis Response: The Golden Hour and Effective Communication (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: Today, we'll be discussing the golden hour of crisis response and what you can and should say immediately after a crisis. By the end of this lesson, you will understand the importance of responding to crises on social media within the golden hour, and be prepared to craft effective short-term messages on behalf of organizations that are experiencing crises. Helio Fred Garcia, who has consulted for hundreds of Fortune 500 CEOs during crises, has likened a crisis on social media to having a heart attack. Just as a patient who is having a heart attack is much more likely to survive if he or she gets to a hospital emergency room within the first hour. Similarly, organizations which respond rapidly to crises are much more likely to survive with their reputations intact. Because they have the opportunity to frame situations themselves rather than allowing others to speculate about their motives and actions. So it's critical to say something immediately following a crisis. However, in addition to responding quickly, you must also respond appropriately. A lot of organizations start by thinking about what they should do or say after a crisis. But Garcia says this is precisely the wrong question to ask yourself. Garcia says the way to develop an appropriate crisis response is to answer the question, what would reasonable people appropriately expect a responsible organization or leader to do when facing this kind of situation? And then you should do exactly that. Reasonable people probably wouldn't expect your organization to have all of the answers immediately. But they will expect you to indicate what steps you're taking to resolve the problem and to make sure it's clear that you care. According to Garcia, and I quote, the single biggest predictor of loss of trust and confidence, of loss of reputation, and of financial and operational harm, is the perception that the organization or leader does not care. Therefore, you have to immediately convey that you care. The reason why many practitioners do not respond immediately is because they are still gathering facts and figuring out whether they are to blame for a situation. And lawyers are especially wary of saying anything that could be interpreted as an admission of guilt. But that should not stop you from immediately posting on social media to convey empathy and indicate that you are gathering facts and we'll have more information soon. Garcia warns that silence is interpreted as indifference or guilt. So not saying anything is the absolute worst thing you can do. If you need ideas on what you can say immediately after a crisis, Garcia offers five things you can communicate without increasing the risk of litigation. Take a look. You can first, acknowledge what happened. Second, express empathy. Third, explain your values. Fourth, outline your approach. And fifth, explain your commitment. Explain your commitment.