Geopolitics Magazine March - April 2015 ( 8th Edition ) | Page 98

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always be the truth. In addition, in many industries it will never be your organization that makes the
announcement as to what occurred when it has been determined.
THE SECONDARY CRISIS
The secondary crisis can be defined as when you trigger an event that causes an additional focus as a
secondary dilemma. For example, the BP oil spill in the Gulf was an initial tragedy but the statement
by the CEO of “I’d like my life back” triggered the anger of the emotional audience which triggered the
anger of the political audience and so forth and then you had a secondary crisis.
A second example of a secondary crisis is
Malaysia Airlines MH370. To this date they
have not found a plane so you have no cause
of the crash, no regulatory action, no cause
for regulatory concern, no real foundation
based on an event for legal action but yet an
entire company was discredited and in the
news for weeks. One can only remember the
anguish on the faces of the families of those
relatives whose anger was fueled by the way
they were treated. The disappearance of the
aircraft was the primary tragedy and the way
with which they were communicated was the
secondary tragedy. With whom does
everyone identify? One may never have
flown on Malaysia Airlines but most everyone
in the world is a user of the system so thereby identifies with the emotional audience.
Many times organizations believe that to say nothing is acceptable. Some strategies are of the opinion
that their Captain or Pilot or Engineer will be prosecuted or take the blame and that is all they have to
worry about. However, in bad times, that does not instill confidence of safety or a sense of good will in
an organization or product and that can have a ripple-down effect on an entire industry. The “do
nothing, say nothing” strategy fuels adversary of the emotional audience and once that happens, it is
difficult to recover.
THE PREVENTION
With all these potential events that can occur with no warning organizations and governments may be
asking if there is anything that can be done in advance to prevent or minimize the effects. If you look
at organizations that have been perceived to have done it right, they have a common template. It is
the four point formula. This is something you have to know before something happens because
unexpected events are just that – unexpected.
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The first point of the four point formula is to humanize. These have to be the first words out of
your mouth. If you do not do this, you will fuel the anger of the emotional audience. Once that
happens, you are never finished.

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The second point is to make yourself part of the process. People look at a government or
organization as those you brought this upon them and forget that at the very least you are
users of the system if not have family or loved ones aboard.

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The third point is to defer to the experts and the experts are those who might be investigating
the event. In some cases it is the State, some cases internal investigators or it may be
lawyers. The point is that just because the question is asked of you does not mean that you are
going to have an answer other than I do not know. In addition, if in the end when the
conclusion is determined, if it is not your organization that will be making announcement as to
what took place, then just defer directly to those who will.

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