Download 10 Best Practices for Risk Communication

TFG Event: Ten Best Practices for Communication &
Continuity During Mega-Disasters
May 10, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
BAH – Wash., D.C.
Co-Sponsored by Booz Allen’s Mission Assurance &
Strategic Communications TFGs
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Our 60-Minute Roadmap
• 10 Best Practices
- Principles (Core Concepts)
- Premium (Value/Importance)
- Practice (Implementation)
• Case Examples, Tools &
Resources
• Threat-Specific Simulation
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The 10 Best Practices
1. Simplify the Complex & Make
the Unfamiliar Familiar
6. Practice the Do’s & Don’ts of
Media Relations
2. Understand the Public’s
Perception of Risk
7. Use the Three-Phase Method
3. Be Proactive and Harness the
Power of Visuals
4. Anticipate, Respond to What
Reporters Want to Know
5. Understand What Frustrates
Reporters
8. Understand Loss as a
Communications Lever
9. Optimize the Informational and
Motivational
10. Make it Emotional, Simple and
Personal
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Crisis Defined
• A time of intense difficulty
or danger
• A time when a difficult or
important decision must be
made
• The turning point of an
event when an important
change takes place,
indicating either recovery or
loss
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP#1 -- Simplify the Complex and Make the Unfamiliar Familiar
Question: What is a Gusset Plate?
 Sept. 2007, 13 died & 145 were injured when the I35 W Bridge collapsed in Minnesota
 NTSB determined a design flaw in a gusset plate
caused the deadly collapse
 Minnesota DOT had to explain the cause in ways
that were easily understood and prevented
widespread panic – 13,000 Bridges in the state
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP #1 – Simplify the Complex and Make the Unfamiliar Familiar
How could the MN DOT have accomplished this?
 By avoiding the use of technical jargon
 By explaining or defining in familiar terms the
information citizens most needed to know and
most wanted to know
Answer: a gusset plate is a large, flat piece of
steel, placed over and bolted to, the ends of two
or more bridge beams, connecting them to each
other and/or to the bridge frame

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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP #2 – Understand the Public’s Perceptions of Risk
 Recognize that the public is already stressed.
 Monitor and address escalating fears and concerns
 Do not make extreme comments or language
 Be factual and empathic when explaining complex risks
– anticipate the public’s reaction and plan an
appropriate response
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP #3 – Be Proactive and Harness the Power of Visuals
 Never underestimate the public’s ability to comprehend
the nature, form and severity of the crisis.
 Use strong visuals – photos, video, graphics
 Send the right visual cues – lab coat
 Field instruments, site visits and demonstrations
 Here’s a positive example: (video #1 1:58)
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP #4 – Anticipate, Respond to What Reporters Want to Know

What you do or don’t do in the first few minutes and
hours following a crisis will determine if you, and your
agency will maintain credibility and control.
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
What Reporters Want to Know
Survey WSJ, San. Fran. Chronicle, WTOP, USA-Today, Dallas Morning News,
ABC-News
Question: Following a nuclear event, what would reporters most want to
know?
1. Was it accidental or intentional?
2. Who/What/Where/When/Why/How?
3. Explanation of what happened and what the risk is to the public/workers/
environment–using non-technical terms.
4. Number of injuries/fatalities.
5. Who is in charge of the investigation?
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What Reporters Want to Know
Accidental
Risk at 1,3,5,10,50,100,1,000 and
5,000 mile Radius.
What is being done to prevent
another occurrence?
What do you still need to learn?
Who is: making repairs, in-charge of
the evacuation, treating the injured,
informing the families of victims?
Was negligence involved?
Intentional
•
•
•
•
•
Are more attacks possible?
Who was responsible?
Have arrests been made?
Motive?
Why wasn’t the response
quicker and more coordinated?
• Why didn’t you anticipate this
event?
• Are investigators focused on a
person or group?
• Will the US retaliate?
Were mistakes made?
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP #5 – Understand What Frustrates Reporters






No consideration of deadlines, Ask: What’s your deadline? Set realistic
expectations.
Disorganization during press events—delays, no press packets,
speaker bios or support materials
Being lied to or mislead
Inability of some officials to admit when they don’t know something or
cannot say something
Inability to access people and information in a timely manner
There’s no where to hide: (Video #2 2:13)
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP #6 – Practice the Do’s and Don'ts of Media Relations
Do
• Provide frequent updates
• Be honest, just provide the facts
• Say what you know –don’t speculate, guess, assume, don’t
guarantee
• Provide details, not vague statements—no such thing as too much
information during a crisis
• Minimize “go betweens”
• Be available –provide a contact person for follow-ups
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10 Best Practices for Communication
Continuity, During Mega-Disasters
BP #6 – Practice the Do’s and Don'ts of Media Relations
Don’t
• Lie or deliberately mislead
• Prevaricate
• Withhold information without giving an adequate explanation as
to why
• Provide inconsistent or inadequate information
• Try to spin the story –most times it’s obvious what you’re doing
• Be condescending
• Lose your cool
• Tell a reporter you’ll follow up and fail to do so
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BP #7 – Use the 3-Phase Method
Impact Phase
- Am I safe?
- Are my loved ones safe?
- What should I tell my
children?
Recoil Phase
- Physiologic, Safety, Social
Post-Trauma Phase
- Response
- Recovery
- Resilience
(Hope, Belief, Optimism, and Better Future)
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BP #8 – Understand Loss as a Strategic Communications
Lever
Loss (& Opportunity) Message Frames
Recoil Phase – Core Life Forces
- Physiologic Needs – e.g., food, living conditions, even survival
- Safety Needs – e.g., care, protection, free from fear, pain, and danger
- Social Needs – e.g., connection, social cohesion
Trust Restoration Template:
- Tell your audience/s what’s wrong about the behavior/action
- Tell them what you’ve done about it
- Tell them how you are ensuring that it won’t happen again
- Point to something positive you are doing in that topic area
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BP #9 – Optimize the Informational & Motivational
Left/right-brain dynamic –
Balancing reflexive, left-brain
response (information, incontrol) with right-brain
response (open, accessible,
creative problem-solving, etc.)
Transactional –
Offer/Acceptance
Present State-Future StateChange State
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BP #10 – Make it Emotional, Simple & Doable (ESP)
Emotion
Impact – Fear
Recoil – Multi-Stressor
Post-Trauma – Recovery and
Resilience
Simple
Clear
Concise
Free of Jargon
Personal
Meaningful
Actionable
Measureable
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Scenario – Government Agency in Crisis
A premier government research agency finds its political and
financial future in jeopardy. Drastic budget cuts could impact
not only the future of the agency’s research program, teaching,
and service mission, but its ability to recruit world-class leaders
and researchers. In addition, deep salary cuts, limited bonuses,
hiring freezes, and bans on new capital improvement projects
are all part of the agency’s attempts to mitigate their most
serious crisis to date.
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10 Best Practices Action Plan
#1 Threat
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Your Top 3 Best Practices
Readiness Level (1 to 10):
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Your #1 Idea for Implementing Best Practices
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#1 _____________________________________
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#3 _____________________________________
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Contact Information
Tim Tinker
([email protected])
Ph: 301-444-4034
Tony Dorsey
([email protected])
Ph: 202-624-3690
Copyright 2012. Booz Allen Hamilton. All
Rights Reserved
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