We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat: Web Communication Before, During and After a Crisis was presented 12 June 2012 at the Penn State Web Conference.

1. We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
Web Communication Before, During and After a Crisis
Tonya Oaks Smith
PSU Web Conference
12 June 2012

3. On the Agenda...
• Who am I?
• Who are you?
• What is a crisis?
• What can we do before crisis?
• What can we do during crisis?
• What can we do after crisis?

4. @marleysmom
Kittenshark courtesy @radiofreegeorgy

5. Who are
you? @cliffyballgame photo courtesy of @shelleykeith

6. What is a Crisis?
An organizational crisis is a specific,
unexpected and nonroutine event or
series of events that create high levels
of uncertainty and simultaneously
present an organization with both
opportunities and threats to its high-
priority goals.
- 2011, Ulmer, Sellnow & Seeger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crisi-tunity.png

7. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

8. Surprise!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug88888/5888927678/

9. Threat or opportunity?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnagrayson/195244498/

10. Perspective
Don’t say you’re
starving. You’re
not. Children in
Africa are
starving. You’re
just hungry.
@bekahsayshey
Marley photo by @bootsmc

11. What
qualifies
as a
crisis?

12. Your star
quarterback
comes down
the flu and
has to miss
a game.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51438986@N07/5019396750/

13. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

14. A dorm burns down, forcing
many students to find new
housing in the middle of finals.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3abr/2376313418/

15. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

16. http://www.flickr.com/photos/buehlerphoto/491135197/
A dean at your college travels
extensively out of the country and
you find he’s been filing expense
reports twice for each trip.

17. Specific,
unexpected,
nonroutine?
Offers
opportunity?

18. Real
crises...

19. Rudy Giuliani
and 9/11
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jptully/5539035190/

20. BP oil spill and
Tony Hayward
http://www.flickr.com/photos/talkradionews/4709975804/

21. University of Central Arkansas
and campus shooting
http://t3chgeek.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/uca-update/

22. Amity Island
and
the Great
White

23. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjbennett/3200824872/

24. What do we do to
take advantage of
the opportunity
inherent in crisis?

25. Before
Accept that crisis is quick and unexpected.

26. Before
Acknowledge that threat of a crisis is relative.

27. Before
Develop good intentions prior to a crisis.

28. Before
Engage in simulations and training.

29. Before
Determine goals for crisis communication.

30. Before
Develop strong, positive relationships with
primary and secondary stakeholders.

31. Before
Establish effective organizational leadership.

32. Before
Develop a positive organizational reputation.

33. During
Communicate early and often after the onset of crisis.

34. During
Do not intentionally heighten crisis ambiguity.

35. During
Build a case for who responsible
for the crisis and why - if it’s not you.

36. During
Accept that your stakeholders - including members of
the media - are your partners in managing crisis.

37. During
Listen to your stakeholders.

38. During
Communicate early about crisis, acknowledge
if you do not know something, and
then promise to stay in contact.

39. During
Avoid certain or absolute answers to the public
and media unless you are sure.

40. During
Do not overassure stakeholders about crisis impact.

41. During
Help the public with advice about
how they can help themselves.

42. During
Ensure that your organizational leadership is visible.

43. During
Cooperate with stakeholders and
work to build consensus.

44. During
Do not attempt to deny or cover up crisis.
Be open and honest.

45. During
Adapt leadership and communication styles.

46. After
Be prepared to question how your organization
thinks about and conducts business.

47. After
Acknowledge that positive things
can come from crises.

48. After
Look for and cultivate opportunities
for organizational renewal.

49. After
Generate support from stakeholder groups
for change in an organization.

50. After
Evaluate crisis response and adapt future
responses to make improvements.

51. Before
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34517293@N05/4522289200/

52. During
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erik_neufurth/514969738/

53. After
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjbennett/3200824872/

54. Questions?
• tosmith@ualr.edu
• @marleysmom
• 501.324.9896