A crisis is often a nightmare for many, including organizations and brands. Besides the potential loss of reputation and public trust, poorly managed crises can drain resources, efforts, and funds. Effective crisis management is, therefore, essential.
Public relations professionals must first manage crises within themselves to handle larger and broader crises. Suppose one cannot provide a sense of security during a crisis. In that case, the response may instead exacerbate the situation with reactive behavior.
“Without good self-control, it’s hard to manage a ‘hot’ situation; that’s why it’s crucial to become a ‘firefighter’ first,” said Public Relations practitioner Winda Mizwar Pratiwi during the Digital Transformation in Crisis Management: Challenges and Opportunities Workshop on Monday, held at the UGM Central Office and attended by representatives from each faculty’s Public Relations office and UGM directorate.
Pratiwi emphasized that crises should be faced to reach a comfortable point, as no one likes being in uncomfortable situations. She noted that crises are not something to fear but can improve one’s professionalism.
People adapt quickly to uncomfortable and unsafe conditions. This adaptation can be achieved by being agile and developing daily habits.
She advised PR professionals to stay updated with the latest news using tools like Google Trends and maintain a curious mindset. Social listening and due diligence are crucial to preventing crises within an institution or brand.
“Social listening involves monitoring what people are saying about us, while due diligence is investigating or finding out about something,” she explained.
Pratiwi also shared tips on handling and responding to a crisis, starting by ensuring personal security. Additionally, institutions should have SOPs, build a crisis team, designate spokespersons, and establish digital ethics as preventive measures.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif