Subject Area 9: Crisis Communications and Coordination
What you must understand
Crisis communication is a discipline distinct from emergency notification. Candidates must understand stakeholder mapping (employees, customers, suppliers, regulators, media, community), message discipline (single source of truth, designated spokesperson, approved templates), and channels with redundancy (mass notification, call trees, social media, press). Know the importance of pre-scripted holding statements, timing (communicate early and often, even to say "we are assessing"), and coordination with public authorities. Understand the interface between the CMT, communications team, and legal/HR, and the need to track and correct misinformation.
Traps in questions
- Confusing emergency notification (get people to safety) with crisis communication (manage stakeholder perception and information).
- Letting anyone speak to media; a designated spokesperson with approved messaging is required.
- Waiting for complete information before communicating; silence breeds rumor.
- Ignoring internal audiences (employees) while focusing on external media.
Worked example / rule of thumb
A data breach is confirmed. The team issues an internal employee notice, activates the spokesperson with a holding statement, notifies regulators per legal guidance, and updates customers as facts firm up. Rule of thumb: One voice, one message, many channels - and communicate internally before externally. If an option has uncoordinated spokespeople or indefinite silence, it is wrong.