Xavier PRabhu is Founder of PRHUB – PR/integrated comms. firm + a consulting boutique & a practice supporting sr. executives/entrepreneurs.
It’s a topic frequently discussed among experienced communication and PR professionals: the tales of how they successfully resolved major crises for their organizations or clients when things seemed bleak. Many of us wear these accomplishments as badges of honor, a testament to our value and the reason we can command higher fees than our peers. The more of these crisis interventions you undertake and claim credit for, the more you establish yourself as a go-to expert in high demand.
I used to share this perspective until I realized it’s a race leading to nowhere and may not be beneficial for the profession or its practitioners in the long run. The trigger for these thoughts was a conversation with a client in the risk advisory industry. They emphasized that mitigation is a more strategic and effective approach for businesses, which got me thinking.
Here’s my unconventional take on this matter.
1. Crisis Mitigators Versus Crisis Fixers
The issue with focusing solely on “fixing” crises is that it neglects the more significant and crucial aspect of preparing for and addressing the root causes that lead to these issues. Often, many crises could have been mitigated or at least minimized in scale if communicators, within their organizations, were motivated to work on policies that could have averted or contained these crises. Effective communication strategies should prioritize long-term efforts to invest in the right policies, assets and tools. While managing crises is vital, it’s essentially a tactical, short-term approach.
2. Shaping Our Image And Message
Our target audience, as senior communication professionals, consists of executives and board members within our organizations. The risk lies in them viewing us as individuals they can count on to resolve any crises or issues that arise. A more constructive approach would be for them to see us as strategic advisors whose counsel they value to mitigate or limit the impact of issues and crises. We should be proactive in encouraging decision-makers to engage with us to create processes and actions that reduce the organization’s susceptibility to problems or minimize their impact.
3. Recognizing The Human Element
Most crises or issues (though not all) affect lives and have a substantial impact on people—not just the general public but also employees, vendors and partners working with our organizations. It’s vital to build policies and procedures that minimize the human impact during crises and issues. While it may be more attractive for communications professionals to be seen as problem solvers, it’s more beneficial, both professionally and ethically, to be recognized for mitigating these impacts.
4. Racing Without A Finish Line
Favoring recognition for crisis management over the more beneficial and effective approach of strategic planning perpetuates a race without a finish line. As communicators, we may become desperate under pressure and resort to tools and tactics that, while resolving crises, may not be the best or most appropriate solutions.
We must consider how the world has evolved and reflect on the perception of our profession and our actions. We should also set the right example for the upcoming generation following in our footsteps. Having advised numerous companies and their management/boards on crises over the past two decades, one discouraging aspect from the perspective of communication agencies is being tasked with simply resolving the crisis through any means. It’s far more desirable to engage deeply with the organization to implement measures that mitigate or minimize future crises once the immediate issue is resolved.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to recognize that not all crises or issues are externally driven; many are caused internally and can be mitigated. Consider a budget airline compromising safety protocols to save costs, leading to an incident or accident. While the airline’s communication professionals may help resolve the situation, were there vital steps that could have been taken to prevent a crisis in the first place? The answer is quite clear.
As communicators and agency leaders, it’s our responsibility to engage with decision-makers in organizations and steer the conversation toward a broader focus that goes beyond our current role as “fixers” when crises emerge. The more we embrace this as a badge of honor, the more we perpetuate a race without a finish line, which ultimately benefits none of the stakeholders and does little to improve our profession’s image and perception.
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