CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – CRISES in a nation can be successfully managed through effective crisis communication. This was the theme promoted at Tuesday’s (Apr. 21) one-day workshop held at Occasions in Pinneys and hosted by the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) in collaboration with the US-based Dilenschneider Group.
Representatives of government departments, the private sector and the media were taught the skills necessary to communicate during a crisis, with the goal being to enable participants to be in control, to remain calm and in charge and yet respond quickly and effectively.
Resource personnel were retired Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Mark Mershon and journalist Bob Berkowitz, who described a crisis as “an emotionally significant event or radical change in status in a person’s or a company’s or a country’s life or history”. Berkowitz also said the emotions that go along with a crisis include fear, anxiety, panic and loss of control.
Berkowitz, a former CNN correspondent, gave as an example of bad crises communication the events in the aftermath of the incident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in March 19789. He said officials lied, covered up the truth and contradicted themselves.
Berkowitz, who also worked with the Associated Press (AP), told participants that crises were inevitable but how a country responds is what matters. He recommended that a response team be in place to anticipate, plan and respond to any crisis.
He said when a crisis strikes, agencies and officials could not “fold their hands”.
“It saves a country’s image locally and overseas when the crisis is immediately understood. Officials have to respond to a crisis with the same urgency as the journalists so that truthful information is sent out.”
According to Berkowitz, an initial statement is crucial as it helps to bring about calm. He however pointed out that due to panic and lack of control, the first version of the story put out is usually wrong. He advised that officials work with experts immediately after a disaster occurs. He also said that those on location during a crisis must know what they want to say and what they do not want to say and should avoid being intimidated by the media.
“Be the most mature person in the room. Be calm, reassuring, knowledgeable and in charge. Speak with one voice and one spokesman. Know who you are speaking to, who is the consumer of your information, what is your point, why are you saying this, who are you saying this to, how are you going to communicate this information, is it going to be a press briefing, a written news release posted on a website.”
He said in modern society, technology requires officials to use all forms of communication including Twitter, blogs, Face Book and all other modern media forms. He cited US President Barack Obama’s ability to communicate through the modern facilities and said officials must not only use the newspapers and radio, but they must also respond to what is going out through blogs, internet and word of mouth to respond to crises. This, he said, requires quick and alert crises communication teams.
Berkowitz advised officials to have a call list that includes television, radio, newspaper and website reporters as well as bloggers and other outlets. He said officials should daily develop working relationships with reporters long before any crisis.
Advice coming from the man who was on location when the attempt was made on US President Ronald Reagan’s life in March 1981 also included avoiding speculation, prediction or guesses in a crisis.
“No one should go beyond their knowledge of the situation and no one should go off record.”
He also advised officials to avoid saying, “No comment.” “Instead”, he said, “tell them what you can and no more.”
Berkowitz also said that if officials did not know an answer they should say so, then find out the answer and come back with it.
“If you make a mistake, own up to it; collect all false reports and rumours. Demand retractions. Put the correct information out, perhaps on your website. Someone needs to be in charge of monitoring the news and rumor flow, and this includes web sites,” he said.
While saying that officials and journalists should show compassion and be good listeners during a crisis, Berkowitz also admitted that staying quiet can cause a failure in crises communication.
“Always tell the truth,” he said, and quoted Britain’s World War ll Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill who said, “A lie gets half way around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on.”
Prior to the training session, participants and government officials learnt that Mershon is the expert who conducted an investigation on gang culture and violence in the Federation.
Mershon confirmed he had recommended that police deploy active patrols in trouble spots. He also said he has heard encouraging reports that this strategy is paying off. He further said that apart from the recent incident of a 10-year-old boy who stabbed a 14-year-old boy, gang-related homicides were on the decline on both St. Kitts and Nevis.
