How to Save Face in a Crisis

Many companies hide behind the shield of "No comment" during a crisis. Instinctively it might seem like the right thing to do, but this isn't the time to be an ostrich.

Rather, the best strategy isn't to fear the press as an enemy, but welcome the media as a potential ally. Be available and accommodating. Answer their questions as openly and honestly as possible. If they request additional information, provide it without hesitation, but make sure to give as much context as possible to mitigate potential negative commentary.

The intent of this approach is to leverage the goodwill you (hopefully) have established in your ongoing relationships with media to, in the very least, get the press to understand your business' plight, and, ideally, get them to portray the company's handling of the crisis as strong and decisive. Further, making yourself available to the press ensures that your message will be documented.

Conversely, don't, under any circumstances, try to spin a situation with misleading or inaccurate information. If the media uncovers the ruse, it'll compound the problem exponentially and make it nearly impossible for your company to emerge undamaged.

While these steps in no way guarantee that a company will ride out a crisis unscathed, they should ensure that the crisis is managed in a way that should benefit the company in the long run. In most cases, a crisis initially feels like a confluence of worst-case scenarios. However, if handled properly a crisis could actually strengthen an organization and help to position it in a more positive light.