We are about to be involved in an issue that could be in the media, what do we do?

Be honest with yourself early.

Typically there are two kinds of issues in an organization - the ones you know about and prepare for and the ones you know about, ignore, and hope never become a problem.  It’s the latter that inevitably break in the news and make headlines day after day after day. We encourage our clients to continually and honestly identify internal and external business risks and prepare companion communications strategies that can support the management of those risks.

A few things you should do as soon as you learn about an issue or a crisis:

1. Engage your communications staff at the same moment you call your lawyer.  Work to balance the needs of the “court of law” with the “court of public opinion.”
2. Identify all the audiences that are going to care about this issue from employees to government  officials to shareholders and honestly ask yourself what assumptions do they have and how can we address them.
3. Be prepared and respond to media inquiries early and often. This is a 24-7 news world. Your communications staff and your spokespersons have to be available and accessible 24-7 to the media during a crisis.

MORE: A few of us at The MediaBank have worked in government where everyday we managed  multiple and complex issues. They ranged from accidental dumping of raw sewage into a river to natural crisis like snowstorms and floods. Crisis communications and issues management are among our strengths.