PR Crisis Management - Damage Control Vs Being Proactive

Crisis Management is just that - the managementminds? Exactly. That it's not safe.
of a crisis. It actually puts attention on the crisis.So what do you do? This is where the creativity
As much as a corporation or organization wouldcomes in. Obviously the manufacturing plant has
like to avoid a PR fiasco, a PR campaign that onlybeen doing proactive things for their employees
puts attention on mitigating the damage is onlyup until that point - they erected a park, didn't
going to put more attention on the fact thatthey? Well, what about that story? Who is the
there is or was damage.founder? What was his/her vision for the
Let's put it in a different light. Say there is afactory? What are their secrets to expansion?
well-established manufacturing plant that backs upWhat precedents have they set in their industry?
to a beautiful greenbelt, and the factory workersDo they have industry leading advice they can
eat their lunch in a park that the factory hadimpart? Who is amongst them that are long-time
developed for their employees to enjoy. Theemployees? How many long-time employees do
workers loved it and over time started feedingthey have? What community service work do
the wildlife that lived in the wooded area and thenthey do? If they are a young company, then
one day, accidentally, one of the workers gets bitwhat is their niche? What opportunities have they
by a raccoon.created for young professionals? I mean the list
You can see where this is going... a PR nightmaregoes on and on and on. The possibilities are
to say the least. The rumor mongering could beendless of what can be done to create more
horrendous. Rabies, missing digits, wildlife gonegoodwill than that one incident can take away.
bad... The company should take the bull by theThe point is that you should never focus only on
horn and do everything they can to help thatthe negative. Make some lemonade. Address
worker, that family and even get a team ofconcerns, but outdo any negative news with
zoologists out there to segregate the park frompositive news WHILE working to handle, control
the woods and start an entire educational processand mitigate the negative. Take responsibility while
for the employees to not feed the wildlife. That'sletting your customers, shareholders, employees,
step one.community and the media know what you stand
But for Pete's sake, don't take the mediocrefor, what your accomplishments are and what is
stance of figuring out how to craft messagesin store for your (and their) future.
about what to say in regards to any questions orYou can take some very dire situations and turn
attacks the company could get about their parkthem into a positive light for a corporation... you
or factory being unsafe. Why pour salt on thejust need to know how to harness the powerful
wound? The more the company puts outtechnology of public relations to communicate
statements that the factory is safe, what do youwhat you are really all about. Because what you're
really think is going to be formulating in people'sreally all about is not rabies... get my drift?