Empathy in a Crisis (Part 2)

Part 2: Shitstorm? No, Thanks.

In our last blog post, we shared our experience that many managers lack empathy when it comes to communicating bad news. We found that it is not about feelings – at least not about the feelings of board members and managing directors.

It is about the feelings of those affected.

And responding to those feelings with empathy is very much in the management’s own interest. A lack of empathy can often have serious negative consequences for the company – or even for managers personally. Employees, customers or activists who feel unfairly treated or poorly informed often react strongly. They may then take measures with far-reaching consequences. And the consequences can become even more serious when those affected turn to the media – regardless of whether management was actually responsible for the causes of the crisis in the first place.

If you look at the corporate crises that have resulted in “bad” press for companies over the past two decades, the same pattern essentially emerges time and again: a large number of affected people, supported by PR-savvy interest groups and high-circulation media outlets that take their side. And the worse people feel they have been treated, the more willing they are to speak to the media. Media interest, as we know, is then amplified by other factors, such as recurring shitstorms on social media, as well as politicians or – potentially far worse – celebrities publicly expressing their solidarity with those affected.

The greater the damage suffered, the greater the risk that the company’s managers will be held responsible for everything – and, if they are unlucky, even for the bad weather. The list of possible scenarios is long. Few things are more appealing to the media than a dismissed employee criticising management, a shareholder worried about their retirement savings, or a local resident concerned about their children’s health because of recurring unpleasant odours. And there are plenty of other examples.

All of this can cause enormous damage to the manager responsible. Journalists ask critical questions, often loaded with insinuations. Advisory or supervisory boards want to know what is going on. Hundreds, if not thousands, of enquiries from customers, suppliers and other stakeholders flood the inbox. Employee meetings or annual general meetings turn into tribunals. And at the next available opportunity, newspapers report that the same manager is responsible who already failed to get things right last time. All of this costs a great deal of time – and even more nerves. Nobody needs that.

Do you think this all sounds a little exaggerated? Unfortunately, it does not. It happens all the time.

But how do you show the right degree of empathy when the going gets tough? Well, it is actually not that difficult – provided you follow six simple principles. We will explain what they are in Part 3 of our blog series on “Empathy in a Crisis”.