To tell or not to tell. That is the question. When a crisis hits a company or institution what can you do so that it doesn’t blow up? In January the public was told that Kate Middleton was going to have abdominal surgery and would not be fulfilling her duties until after Easter. The announcement occurred at the same time that King Charles would be treated in the hospital for a prostate issue. While King Charles was visible and didn’t deny his condition, we didn’t see or hear from Kate. The Palace said her surgery was planned. There was speculation about what was happening with her health. Was it serious? Over the weeks, curiosity turned to concern and even to fear for some Royal fans. The family went silent. This led to wild imaginings and conspiracy theories. Was she in a coma? Was she dead? Was a divorce on the horizon? It created a media frenzy with pundits and media personalities sharing their theories and trying to decode the messages from the Palace.
In an attempt to quell the rumors, a past photo of Kate smiling with her three children was edited and sent out to the press. Quickly, the media rejected it because the picture had been doctored. It made things worse because it was dishonest. What we learned is that long silence on an issue and dishonesty, only serve to fuel the fire of gossip and controversy.
The first rule in crisis communication is get the story out and get it out fast. Otherwise, the media and the readers control the narrative. And give updates. Yes, Kate Middleton deserves privacy and time to heal, but she’s also a public figure. When she finally appeared in a heartfelt video, the public relaxed. While she may have been too ill to speak to the cameras, the Palace could have quoted her so that that the updates were her words instead of an official statement from a spokesperson.
Hopefully, the public and media will give Kate and her family the space that they need now that the truth is known.
So when it comes to communicating in a crisis
1. Plan a clear message.
2. Get the story out quickly.
3. Be transparent. Don’t lie. You’ll get caught and lose credibility.
In communication it’s all about the message. If you need assistance with your messaging contact www.diresta.com.
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