Crisis Communications Lessons from Charlottesville
In May of 2017, white supremacists came to Charlottesville, Va., to protest the impending removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Images of protesters with tiki torches rallying at the base of the statue raced around the globe.
Two months later, the Ku Klux Klan rallied in Charlottesville to decry the statue removal plan.
Those two events helped set the stage for the deadly Unite the Right event that August, said Michael Signer, who was mayor of Charlottesville at the time. He spoke recently to the Public Relations Society of America-Hampton Roads chapter about leading in a time of crisis.
Signer described how difficult it was for a small city government overwhelmed by International media to communicate proactively at a time when “there was a ton of paranoia happening across the board.”
He offered a few lessons in crisis communications learned from the “Summer of Hate” in Charlottesville:
Get Clear
Get your roles clear, both internally and publicly. After the Klan rally, Signer drafted a statement with the intent to help the city and signal some hope. “That turned out to be one of the worst things I could have done. I wasn’t in the chain of command,” he said, noting that Charlottesville has a city manager form of government. It wasn’t good procedurally to have the mayor speaking, he said.
Be Proactive
Communicate proactively as often as possible.
Think Ahead
Hold tabletop exercises to game out worst-case scenarios and potential crises.
Be Supportive
Support elected officials or whoever it is in your government or organization that the media and social media will gravitate toward. “Have your leadership on the same page and in the same operational mechanism,” Signer said.
Create Protocols
Establish protocols ahead of time. For example, how do you handle media requests?
Be Transparent
Be transparent with the public and the media. It’s better to be upfront than to circle the wagons, Signer said. Things will only get worse if mistakes come out later.
Seek Expertise
Get professional help. “It’s essential that you’re proactive, successful and smart in crafting your messages and your narrative,” Signer said.
Explain
Explain your thinking — what are your goals?