97. Leadership at play in effective Crisis Communication
The way people consume information has changed drastically over the years. Consumers are becoming smart and well informed in their decisions. They are more conscious of what they consume and the decisions are at times based on their values and beliefs. In such a scenario a brand needs to highlight its values and ethics that resonate with the consumer’s beliefs. It is very hard for a brand to gain validation from the consumers and loyalty is the hardest to attain. Crisis management can be the greatest test for a brand to gain customer’s trust.
Crisis communication exposes the brand to the media and the public eye to a great extent. How a brand manages to tackle a crisis while reassuring all the stakeholders shapes their reputation. In such a situation, good Leadership is one of the greatest assets for any brand.
With the easy accessibility and wide reach of the internet, majority of the corporate leaders are exposed to the public eye through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, etc. These platforms can be leveraged to handle the crisis by communicating with the stakeholders in real time without depending on traditional media outlets.
One great example of leadership at play in crisis communication is how the founder of Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson handled the Virgin Galactic crisis in 2014.
In October, 2014, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo crashed during a test flight killing one pilot and severely injuring another. Richard Branson posted about the incident almost immediately through Twitter informing the public about the tragedy. Swift action, sincerity, empathy, and a promise to provide further clarity, his message had it all.
The leader maintained regular communication with the public throughout. As a result the public sympathized with the brand and almost all dialogues regarding the incident were in favour of Virgin Galactic.
An article published in The Drum says, “In times of crisis, brands require strong leaders who can communicate confidently, and compassionately, in the intimidating glare of the media spotlight. In Sir Richard Branson, that's exactly what Virgin Galactic can rely on.” Such positive comments and from renowned publications and individuals and the positive sentiment in the public strengthened the company’s reputation.
It is a great example of the role of leaders in crisis communication.
Crisis communication exposes the brand to the media and the public eye to a great extent. How a brand manages to tackle a crisis while reassuring all the stakeholders shapes their reputation. In such a situation, good Leadership is one of the greatest assets for any brand.
With the easy accessibility and wide reach of the internet, majority of the corporate leaders are exposed to the public eye through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, etc. These platforms can be leveraged to handle the crisis by communicating with the stakeholders in real time without depending on traditional media outlets.
One great example of leadership at play in crisis communication is how the founder of Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson handled the Virgin Galactic crisis in 2014.
In October, 2014, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo crashed during a test flight killing one pilot and severely injuring another. Richard Branson posted about the incident almost immediately through Twitter informing the public about the tragedy. Swift action, sincerity, empathy, and a promise to provide further clarity, his message had it all.
The leader maintained regular communication with the public throughout. As a result the public sympathized with the brand and almost all dialogues regarding the incident were in favour of Virgin Galactic.
An article published in The Drum says, “In times of crisis, brands require strong leaders who can communicate confidently, and compassionately, in the intimidating glare of the media spotlight. In Sir Richard Branson, that's exactly what Virgin Galactic can rely on.” Such positive comments and from renowned publications and individuals and the positive sentiment in the public strengthened the company’s reputation.
It is a great example of the role of leaders in crisis communication.
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