Crisis Communications: Insights from University Of Oregon’s Professor Kelli Matthews

As we’ve seen in previous blogs, public relations can be very volatile. They can either make or break a company or individual. I recently had the privilege of discussing PR recovery and crisis communications with a seasoned PR expert and Professor at the University of Oregon, who shared some invaluable thoughts on the topic that I will present here today.

Crisis Communication Elements

The pillars of a solid crisis management strategy are always preparation. Professor Matthews stressed that “having a plan is the first step; most organizations either don’t have one or have an ineffective one.” Not like emergency response plans that work to solve immediate threats, a crisis communication plan outlines proactive ways to help deal with reputational risks.

Outline for an effective crisis communication plan:

• Identify key stakeholders and audiences.
• Define communication objectives.
• Establish a crisis team.
• Include scenario planning exercises to anticipate potential crises.
• Provide a checklist and critical contact lists for streamlined responses.

These preemptive steps are essential. “The more proactive you are, the less defensive you’ll need to be,” Professor Matthews said.

Crisis Cases to Reflect On

After bringing up the Tylenol cyanide poisoning case of the 1980s, Professor Matthews emphasized the great job Tylenol did with its swift, transparent, and empathetic reactions that led to a textbook recovery. Tylenol set a gold standard for other corporations to follow with its product recall and the creation of tamper-proof packaging that revolutionized the packaging industry.

Another case covered by our esteemed interview was the infamous United Airlines dragging out a passenger incident. With their cheap response and defensive, unapologetic actions, United Airlines showed precisely what not to do. Some great advice from this case discussion was, “Tell it first, tell it fast, and tell them what you’re going to do about it.” 

The Balance with Legal Liability and Authenticity

One of the most significant challenge when dealing with a crisis is balancing transparency and legal liability. Legal teams often aggressively urge caution in responses to avoid the liability that can come from published statements, but this can lead to inauthentic robotic responses that lose customers’ support. So, which way should you lean? “If you’re empathetic and show you care about your customers, it often resonates more powerfully than cold, calculated statements.”

Lasting Interview Impression

Above all else, fall back on authenticity and empathy. “People’s BS meters are finely tuned,” Professor Matthews said. A personal, genuine apology combined with recordable actions to solve the issue and regain the public’s trust is a proven ethical way to recover.

“Crises are inevitable, but how you handle them determines your long-term reputation.” – Kelli Matthews.