ProResponder Crisis Assistance

Whether a natural disaster, political nightmare, major mistake or another crisis in your community, you can easily find yourself overwhelmed by the question, “What do I do now?”  ProResponder wants to help.  This page offers a few ideas that might be useful in getting your mind thinking about helpful things.  In our courses, we teach these Crisis Communication Strategies, but we want to offer you a summary now.  We hope it’s useful.

One of the most important things to remember is that you are NOT alone.  You’re not the first person to find yourself in need of assistance.  Never forget how important it can be to ask for help.  If you need us, we’ll be there.  We can offer you an outside, objective perspective on your situation and help you through the worst situations.

Call us at (979) 485-5902.  If you don’t reach us, email us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

Keep First Things First

What is the most important thing your audience needs to hear RIGHT NOW?  That’s your Key Message.  It’s important to develop that message carefully and make sure you’re delivering it in a way that people can hear.

The F.A.C.E. Principle

The F.A.C.E. Principle is the method ProResponder created to help you think about the WAY you must communicate with people during a crisis.  It brings you back to the simple ideas and foundational concepts.  Facts, Attitude, Context and Empathy must permeate your communications with your audience.

FACTS

You can always retreat to the FACTS.  These are unchanging and are the same for everyone.  Give your perspective on the facts as you know them.  But don’t speculate.  That’s a dangerous game.

ATTITUDE

Your ATTITUDE often says more about what you think than your words do.  And because it can just as easily be misunderstood, it’s important that you carefully display the outward projection of your attitude.  Body language, hostility, anger, fear, apathy and a thousand other messages are communicated by our attitude.

CONTEXT

People don’t know the things you know.  That’s why you need to give them CONTEXT.  You can never provide too much context.  It’s the key to helping people understand why you behave the way you do.  Help them with background, circumstances, policies and procedures that guide your actions.

EMPATHY

People need to know that you understand how they feel.  This EMPATHY is crucial when it comes to getting everyone on the same side.  Without it, there is an “us against them” mindset.  With it, we’re all in this together.

Don’t Forget Who You Are

Often, the first casualty of a crisis is our own identity.  Don’t forget why you do the things you do. Don’t let the outside world define you. We are NOT defined by the way we fall down, but by the way we get back up.
You’re in this to serve people. Don’t stop now. 

Focus on These Things

In a crisis, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by events and lose your focus.  Stop.  Take a deep breath and focus your attention on the things that matter.  Your Identity, Your Audience and Your Message are crucial considerations when you think about what to do next.

Know Your Identity

Who you are (your identity) leads you to behave in a certain way. Focusing on the fundamental principles of your identity will help you explain your actions.

People will always want to know why you or your agency acted the way they did.  Make your good intentions known.  It will help people understand where you’re coming from and ultimately, why they can trust you.

Know Your Audience

You must think about the needs of your audience. What are their questions? Why are they concerned? What decision do they need to make about us?

Considering your audience will help you create your message.  The goal is to effectively communicate with a group of people.

Know Your Message

You will be judged by what you say, not what you thought. Crafting your message to effectively communicate your intended message is crucial.

Delivering your message is equally as important.  If you message is lost in the confusion or drowned out, people will be left to wonder why you’re doing the things you do.  Be explicit about your key message.  Say it early and say it often.

Addressing a Crisis

You’ll have a thousand things to think about.  You’ll have demands coming from all sides.  Stay calm.  Be methodical.  Develop a checklist like the one below of things that are important to you and your audience.  Then get to work addressing the items on your list.  The sooner you get to the part where you’re thinking logically and clearly, the better.

  • Reassure people

  • Get everyone on the same side

  • Be transparent

  • Be honest

  • Understand expectations

  • Don’t lose control

  • Communicate openly

  • Demand accountability

  • Be consistent

  • Be fair

LET’S GET STARTED

ProResponder Training & Consulting is ready to help you prepare to engage your community. To find out more about our courses, or to get information about a consultation, please fill out the form to the right. We’re looking forward to meeting you.