Editor’s note: This guest post from Jeff Chatterton, a crisis management expert we’re proud to have as a Bernstein Crisis Management contractor, examines what the next steps should be for organizations of all types following the events of last week.
I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief when police officers converged on a bloody, tired and overwhelmed terror suspect Friday evening. The nation has had the weekend to celebrate. But today, the hangovers begin.
It may not seem like it at first, but life as you know it just got dramatically different. The rules we operate under our different. The expectations from the public are different. Smart companies will recognize that and adjust – lazy companies are going to keep trying to do things the way they did last week. They’ll pay the consequences.
I’ve put together a quick list now of four industries which are going to be dramatically affected by events of the past week – but there are many, many more. I’m curious to know who else should be added to the list?
If you run a large public gathering:
Whether it’s a marathon, an art-walk, or you’re an arena manager – things are dramatically different now. Accept it. People don’t need to know simply that they are safe. Who is the best spokesperson to help explain WHY your attendees are safe?
What changes can you clearly point to between this week and last? Do you know how to answer highly emotional questions YOURSELF, without deferring to the local Police Department? What question is simply lying out there that you are horrified to confront – better get it figured out now.
Having a good repartee with your police liaison is important, but it’s NOT the same thing as being prepared to answer tough questions. Your local police Chief is probably great at providing yes or no answers, but not so great at defending your good name, especially when, in his or her mind – they haven’t done anything wrong yet!
If you have ANYTHING to do with immigration:
First – let’s be frank. We all know the input and contributions of immigrants not only made our culture great, but those contributions are what continues to make our culture great. That being said – don’t for a second think you can rely on those sentiments.
How do you convince people you, your employees and/or your clients are great, hard-working people who wish you no harm? In a move that’s both sad and funny, the American Ambassador from the Czech Republic felt forced to issue a news release clarifying that the Czech Republic was not, in fact, the same region as Chechnya.
Think about this – the Czechs are a NATO ally on the war on terrorism! If even they feel obligated to differentiate on an issue of 1,700 miles difference, don’t take the lazy way out and assume the general public will assume your immigrants are the ‘non-scary ones.’
If you handle chemicals:
Reports are coming that the fertilizer plant in West, Texas may have had up to 1,500 times the allowable limit of stored chemicals on site. If you don’t know what RTK legislation is, research it. Called “Right to Know” legislation, it has different forms and variations across the country.
Imagine going to every neighbor in your region and explaining what you have on-site, and what the possible risks are. Imagine the different ways notification could be made… but dream up the worst possible scenario. After the West, Texas fiasco, chances are good a lawmaker in your own State is already ahead of you, and already has something in mind that’s far, far more restrictive and damaging.
You can either play the cards you’ve been dealt, or you can stack the deck for yourself. Figure out what the tough questions are and come up with effective ways of disclosing that information to the community around you.
WHAT! Blow the whistle on yourself without being asked! Oh please – It’s a lot like getting a vaccination – don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little pinch, when that pinch can bring a world of good?
If you’re in Law Enforcement:
Enjoy the moment in the sun. (As an aside, as I was watching the crowd in Watertown, MA cheer the law enforcement community as they left the scene on Friday night, I realized “Isn’t it great where we live in a culture where we CHEER the police, rather than live in fear of them?”)
That honeymoon, unfortunately, is going to dry up quick. As people wake up this morning, questions are going to start coming in soon. “Are you prepared for something like this?” “What are you doing to prevent it?” “Do you track known terror suspects in our community?” “How many are there?” “What other programs do you have in place?”
Spend a few days NOW, while you have the luxury of good will, and draw up every damaging or awkward question you can think of. Now start coming up with good answers, NOW, rather than on-the-fly. You’ll thank me later.
One last point:
Yes, I know you’re busy. Yes I know you have competing priorities. Preparing for these questions is the most effective way of ENSURING your priorities remain on track – and don’t get completely derailed by two months of public confusion and hysteria.
Jeff Chatterton is owner and operator of Checkmate Public Affairs. This post was originally published on the Checkmate Public Affairs blog.
Jonathan L. Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. has more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of crisis management – crisis response, vulnerability assessment, planning, training and simulations.
Erik Bernstein is vice president of Bernstein Crisis Management. Erik started with BCM in 2009 as a writer and subsequently became social media manager for the consultancy itself as well as for a number of BCM clients before moving to the VP position.
