Stormy seas and icebergs: Redefining the line between issues and crises

Last week I joined the CIPR Crisis Communications Network for the latest in its In Conversation With… webinar series, this time featuring Dr Tony Jaques. Having navigated a diverse range of crisis comms situations over the last 20 years, I always enjoy sessions on this topic, but Tony’s talk has to be one of the best I’ve ever attended.

Tony has a rare ability to weave high-level academic theory into the messy, high-stakes reality of the work those of us with a crisis comms remit actually do. It was an inspiring conversation that left me with a long list of follow up reading and some serious reflections on how communicators justify our presence in the boardroom.

Earning your seat, not asking for it

One of the most refreshing parts of the talk was Tony’s take on the “seat at the table.” We often hear practitioners complain about not being taken seriously by leadership. Tony was blunt: you earn that seat by showing value, you don’t get given it as a right.

Rod Cartwright, who hosted the session, added that we often stay too much in our own “swim lane.” If we want to be strategic partners, we must get comfortable with the “hardcore” business issues. We need to understand how the company makes money, the nuances of risk, and the mechanics of business continuity. As Tony pointed out, if we just sit around talking about “stakeholders” and “reputation,” we won’t get anywhere. I was pleased to hear echoed something I regularly bang on about myself: we need to speak the language of management to be understood by management.

Issues v crises: Time and choice

Tony drew a brilliant distinction between issues management and crisis management. In his words:

“Issue management is navigating through stormy seas. Crisis management is saving the ship once you’ve struck an iceberg.”

He went onto describe the two defining factors that separate them are time and choice. With an issue, you have the luxury of time to develop strategies and consult third parties. In a crisis, the best decision is usually the one you should have made ten minutes ago. Crises also strip away your choices. You can’t wonder if you should talk to the media when there’s already a camera crew in your reception.

The “crisis after the crisis”

Perhaps the most sobering part of the session was the discussion on the post-crisis phase. Tony argued that the reputational and financial risk is often higher after the initial event than during it. While a company might be focused on “getting back to normal” and operational recovery, the legal battles, investigations, and royal commissions can drag on for years.

He cited the Exxon Valdez spill, where litigation lasted nine years. The “long tail” of a crisis is where reputation is truly won or lost. If we focus only on the “bang” and ignore the years of fallout, we’ve misunderstood the assignment.

The power (and limits) of models

Tony is well-known for his frameworks, but he was quick to mention that a model will never resolve a crisis on its own.

Models are fantastic tools for:

• Keeping everyone on the same page visually.
• Providing a timeline so people don’t trip over each other.
• Clarifying roles, which often change during an incident (e.g., an HR manager becoming the legal liaison).
• Explaining the process to non-communicators.
• However, at the end of the day, success comes down to effective leadership and real-world action. A plan is a starting point, not a straitjacket. Or, as Tony’s favourite quote (via Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali, Tony and Rod couldn’t quite decide!) goes: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

Authenticity over manuals

Finally, Tony and Rod touched on the “apology clause” and the four steps to a solid statement:

• Say what happened.
• Express empathy (saying sorry).
• Have sympathy (actually being sorry and genuine).
• Say what you’re doing about it.

Tony warned against pre-prepared “stock” phrases for expressing regret. While “fill-in-the-blanks” templates are fine for basic facts, using them for genuine feelings undermines your authenticity. People can tell when an apology has been sanitised by a legal team.

I’m now off to track down Tony’s book on the relationship between lawyers and PR, as well as some work he recommended by Robert Heath. If you ever get the chance to hear Tony speak, grab it. It’s a masterclass in speaking human in a world of corporate jargon.

Chartered PR practitioner Caroyln Bowick is a strategic communications and marketing consultant and a Fellow of the CIPR. Carolyn’s blog was first published on the CIPR Crisis Comms website.