Head to Head: Is crisis communications in crisis?
Mumbrella invites the industry’s senior PR professionals to share their opposing views on the industry’s biggest issues. This week, Rebecca Wilson, CEO at WE Buchan goes head to head with Sefiani Communications’ chairman and reputation counsel, Robyn Sefiani on whether or not crisis communications is going through a crisis.
Is crisis communications having an identity crisis? We Buchan’s CEO Rebecca Wilson argues that the traditional approach to crisis communications is no longer relevant and unless business start adapting to the change which is already here, their businesses are going to be left very exposed.
Meanwhile, Robyn Sefiani says while crisis communications and management is rapidly changing, “human judgement is still at the forefront of crisis management decision making and messaging”.
Who do you agree with?
Good commentary from both Rebecca and Robyn. I think Robyn’s point that human judgement is critical to effective management in any crisis is very salient. All the technology and listening tools in the world are useless unless those in senior roles in an organisation know why, how and when to act in a time of crisis. Sadly, recent events in our business and political environments would seem to show that the human element is the very component that has been missing in relation to the way some crises have been dealt with.