Crises develop. Narratives evolve. Circumstances change.
In the information-driven world in which we all operate, the demand for rapid answers and quick solutions present traps for those trying to satisfy impatient audiences.
Click-harvesting ‘BREAKING NEWS’ banners, insatiable rolling-news and badly informed but highly opinionated social media ‘experts’ are all only too ready to shout ‘conspiracy,’ ‘cover-up’ and ‘collusion’ if they think information is being withheld.
Sometimes though it might just be ‘cock-up.’
We might wish audiences had more patience but that’s not the reality. And it’s easy to understand why organisations caught in the media and public spotlight feel the need to fill the information vacuum, to attempt to be in control of the narrative.
So, what are those six key words when communicating in a crisis?
They are: ‘BASED ON WHAT WE CURRENTLY KNOW…..’ Simple and obvious really but too often forgotten in the rush to meet clamouring questions.
In an evolving crisis, caveating statements with this phrase means not being held hostage in future to comments honestly made should events subsequently prove them to be wrong.