A lot of PAOs are thinking about, and communicating about, COVID-19. I guess we are, too.
A smart British communication pro recently talked to me about the difference between a “crisis” and an “emergency.”
In my U.S. military experience, I think we speak internally so often about crises, we forget the other levels and flavors of bad events.
I googled “crisis vs emergency” and found this paper, without an author or citations. It’s a useful two-page read. Here are two lines worth highlighting:
“Crisis communication … is an event that occurs unexpectedly, may no longer be in the power of the organization to control, and may cause harm to the organization’s good reputation or literal viability.”
“Emergency risk communication differs from crisis communication in that the communicator is not perceived as a participant in the crisis or disaster, except as an agent to resolve the crisis or emergency.”
I’m not a big “definitions” kind of guy, but I think the difference between crises and emergencies can help center a PAO preparing to communicate.
Facing a crisis? Your organization is already taking hits. There’s a lot you still don’t understand, and it could take a long time to win back credibility. Your audience wants accountability. What went wrong? Who’s responsible? Will this bad thing ever happen again? Meanwhile, your competitors will pile on to drive their own agendas.
Facing an emergency, like COVID-19? Your organization’s response to a bad event could still be swift, professional, and controlled enough to keep it from spiraling into a crisis. So far, you’ve maintained your credibility. Keep it up with facts and next steps.
(Photo by Cpl. Adam Dublinske, DVIDS)
