Who should speak in a crisis?

Organisations spend time and effort developing policies and protocols to prevent and respond to crises and risks, but there is a key tool that often doesn’t receive enough attention: who is the right choice to speak on behalf of the organisation.

While it’s easy to assume that we should follow the organisation’s hierarchy and choose the most senior official, this approach isn’t always appropriate. Seniority shouldn’t be the only criteria to make this decision, since it doesn’t guarantee effective communication.

Every crisis has its own particularities, and it can be a challenge to identify the right voice to carry our message. As such, we need to step back and analyse the situation, what it could require, the audience we want to reach, and what they would want to hear.

Read the room, not the organisation chart

Our goal during a crisis is to build or protect trust and reputation with specific stakeholders, whether that’s customers, employees, regulators, or others. Once we identify the specific audience we’re speaking to, the right voice becomes much clearer to choose.

A reputational or governance crisis may require the CEO or senior management to show accountability at a high level, but a safety incident or technical risk may call for an operational leader who understands and can provide the technical detail. Often, we don’t need an all-powerful spokesperson, just someone experienced and informed enough to understand how the situation is moving.

When is it time to call on a senior executive?

An important factor in this decision is our goals. If an organisation wants to show accountability and seriousness, a CEO or senior executive can become a necessary face. Their presence shows stakeholders that leadership is giving the matter its full attention. It’s important to remember that everything a senior executive says will be scrutinised, and a misstep can escalate the crisis rather than contain it. That’s why every potential spokesperson needs to be prepared.

Media training

Whether a spokesperson has seniority or expertise, they require preparation to communicate under pressure. Media training gives them the skills to translate their knowledge into clear communication and stay on the organisation’s narrative, without sounding too rehearsed. Without training, even experienced professionals can stumble under scrutiny.

We won’t always need a single spokesperson

It’s important to properly read the room and the situation. We can’t oversimplify this as a choice between seniority and expertise. Most of the time, a crisis will require layered voices. An expert can help communicate facts and build credibility, while a senior executive can set the tone for how seriously the organisation is treating the issue.

Each voice serves a different purpose and goal, and effective communication most likely requires collaboration between voices that, together, can speak to every audience and answer every question.

How Fifty Acres can help

At Fifty Acres, we help prepare organisations and their spokespeople for high-pressure moments, whether that’s a crisis, a media interview, or a public-facing announcement.

Get in touch at jo@fiftyacres.com to discuss how we can help strengthen your spokespeople and your communications.