Crisis Leadership and Crisis Communication

Andrew Blum, Ph.D

ICONS Project

Center for International Development and Conflict Management

University of Maryland

Learning Objectives:
        - Understand the nature of a crisis.
        - Understand impact of a crisis on individuals and how it effects communication
        - Learn tools for managing and communicating information in a crisis.

Crisis Leadership Workshop, March 2007

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Review objectives—note that we are focusing on tools, skills that have broad application—they will have much more experience in the details of government—the union should be productive.  Providing forum for experimentation as well as increasing knowledge.

Crisis: A working definition

Definition of “crisis” is subjective, based on perception of: 

threat to one or more of an individual’s or organization’s basic values or missions,

finite time to make decisions and take action, and

lack of “standard operating procedures” or inability to implement SOP to address the situation

Why we care:
          -  Ramp up/Ramp down
          -  Negotiation in a crisis
          -  Empirically, when these three are present, certain dynamics emerge.

Crisis Dynamics:Results from ICB Project
        - Elite process
        - High levels of stress
        - Reliance on cognitive shortcuts (analogies, stereotypes...)
        - Tendency to “forget the rules”
        - Awareness of different audiences than normal, public, media, etc.

Under full analysis, bring up too much information/not enough information paradox.

Stress can be compounded by belief that decisions are “momentous.” 

These are empirical results

The Impact of Crisis on Individuals

Crisis Leadership Workshop, March 2007

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The Physiology of Stress
        - Stress reactions are involuntary
        - Perception of threat triggers both neural and hormonal reactions

Crisis Leadership Workshop, March 2007

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Neural messages carry perceptions to the neo-cortex, which is the center of abstract reasoning and association

Hormonal messages are carried to the endocrine system, which regulates and integrates bodily functions; hormones are indirect, slower and their influence is longer-lived than neural messages 

Our Body’s Design

Our bodies are designed to help us survive.

Crisis: lion is near

Body’s reaction: 

send blood to 

muscle groups 

and RUN!

Awareness of Stages of Stress
        - Alarm
        - Adaptive/Resistance
        - Exhaustion

Crisis Leadership Workshop, March 2007

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Alarm: Body prepares to meet threat

Adaptive/Resistance: removal of stressor returns body to pre-alarm state

Exhaustion: if alarm level is maintained for a long time, the body may weaken 

How an individual moves through these stages is a function of perception

Adaptive stage may take a considerable time.  If stressor continues, individual may act to conserve energy by withdrawing, reducing activity, etc.

Exhaustion--can become more susceptible to illness

Looks like the source is: Selye

Intense or Prolonged Stress

Leads to:

Difficulty thinking clearly 

Dwelling on meaningless activities 

Tunnel vision

Expressing hostility or numbness

Impulsiveness

Feeling incompetent 

Reduced ability to retain information

Crisis Leadership Workshop, March 2007

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Reflection Exercise.

Mental Noise Theory

When under stress, our cognitive ability is decreased significantly. Message retention falls by 80% or more. We cope by:
        - Reducing complexity
        - Acting on current beliefs
        - Seeking analogies
        - Blocking new information

Crisis Leadership Workshop, March 2007

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Want to focus on congnitive a bit more, since sending and receiving information is such a key part of what we do during crisis.

Expertise versus Empathy

Low Stress: Message recipients focus on 	competence and expertise.

High Stress: Message recipients focus on 	honesty and empathy

Keep Messages Simple
        - No more than three messages
        - No more than ten seconds each
        - No more than 30 words
        - And then keep repeating these three messages. . .

Famous Example: STOP! DROP! ROLL!

Literal or Metaphporic

Example: Mayor Giuliani on 9/11

1) If you’re below Canal St. Stay calm and walk north. . .

2) And the end result is going to be some horrendous number of lives lost

3) Right now we just have to focus on saving as many people as possible.

Empathy

Honesty

Efficacy – Simple actions to take

Focus

Examples from USFS

"Please do not feed wildlife. Animals that get food from people may become aggressive. Our foods may harm an animal's digestive system or even cause them death." 

"NIICD will purchase only multimode digital radios in the future. Analog radios will be replaced during normal replacement cycles. Contact Steve Jenkins for more information. 

BE PREPARED!
        - Virtually all concerns and questions for any crisis can be predicted in advance.
        - Prepare your messages to respond to these concerns in advance. Message mapping is one useful tool.

1) How long do I have?

2) Can I get a second opinion? / How sure are you?

3) Will it hurt/be painful?

Five Keys to Effective Communication in a Crisis
        - Clarity
        - Repetition
        - Honesty
        - Empathy
        - Efficacy (Give them something to do)

Why clarity? Why repetition?

- Because people are stressed.

Why Empathy?

- Because people are afraid or angry.

Why honesty?

- Because there is a threat.

- Because you need to build trust.

Why efficacy?

- Because action is the antidote to fear.