Question

Analyze and discuss the difference between risk and crisis communication

Answer 1

Answer:-

Risk communication

Risk communication done effectively informs people about hazards to their environment or their health, manages potential problems in a manner that promotes goodwill, disseminates information, and communicates potential crisis and emergency situations well, encouraging prudent action and reducing panic. Here are some examples of health and safety issues that qualify as risk communication topics:

How safe is the water we drink?

How polluted is the air we breathe?

What risk does the landfill down the street pose to my family and my community?

Is it safe to eat beef?

Risk communication skills and techniques are used to handle both risk and crisis situations. With risk communication, communicators lay the groundwork for trust between the community and the organization dealing with the risks involved. However, bad risk communication could cause a crisis communication episode to develop. Communication experts generally agree that three elements exist when communicating a risk:

Message: Messages are the overall information an organization wants its audience to comprehend, even if the audience forgets the details. The message should inform and persuade. The goal is for the audience to understand the message and take certain action.

Medium: The medium for the message depends on the specifics of the situation. It could be a brochure, a billboard, or a television commercial.

Audience: Risk may vary dramatically in different populations. Targeting a specific audience is extremely important.

Successful risk communicators must know how the public perceives risk and how to distinguish between objective risk and subjective risk. Objective risk is calculated by scientists based on research. Subjective risk is the risk that the public perceives. Subjective risk is lessened or increased by familiarity ("I knew someone who this happened to"), dread, and personal control (US EPA, p. 5). For example, it is much safer statistically to fly than to drive, and the chances of getting bitten by a shark are small compared to the chances of being attacked by dogs. These statistics are objective risks. However, people fear flying and shark attacks much more than they fear driving or dog attacks. It is the subjective risk that plays into people's fears.

Crisis Communication

An organization in crisis will be best served if it has developed a crisis communication strategy to communicate to decision makers and the public. First, it's important to understand the nature of crisis. All crises have some common characteristics:

They are potentially damaging. They cast shadows of doubt about the credibility of an organization in the eyes of the public.

A crisis can create improper or distorted perceptions. A crisis may involve allegations that tell only part of the story and stimulate negative impressions by the public about the organization. An organization, therefore, must be prepared to respond to incorrect perceptions.

Crisis situations are almost always disruptive to the organization. Work is placed on hold until the crisis is resolved.

A crisis generally takes the organization by surprise. The organization is placed in a "reaction" mode, where it responds to the situation, rumors, comments, and potentially hostile interviews. Crisis also implies lack of control. To counteract that impression, an organization's response to crisis must be swift and competent. Speedy and effective action in the immediate aftermath of a crisis will show the public that the organization has prepared for the crisis.

Preparing for the Crisis

The best way to handle a crisis communication situation is to have a plan in place for managing a crisis situation. Of course, you will not know what specific crisis might occur, but having a contingency plan in place—so that your organization knows who will talk with the media, the "chain of command" for decision-making, and how communication will be handled overall—is extremely important. Your organization's overall crisis plan should devote significant time and effort to the crisis communication plan, especially if the crisis affects a large sector of the public. The more people a crisis impacts, the more important it is to communicate to the public. The plan should address these key issues:

Organize a "what if" brainstorming session with others. Come up with "what if" scenarios about potential crisis situations and write a general procedure for responding to the "what if" crises.

Select crisis management and crisis communication teams. Who is responsible for communicating with the media during a crisis? Who fields telephone calls? Who decides what to say to the media? Everyone in your organization should know who is on the crisis communication and crisis management teams.

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