Communication During Crisis
MICHAEL G. STRAWSER and LAKELYN TAYLOR
In the past few weeks the phrase “the new normal” has been used an inordinate amount to justify decisions, calm collective nerves, and establish crisis-situation rhythms. While every educational institution will struggle with “new normal” ramifications (the University of Michigan forecasted a budget deficit of near $1 billion and the University of Arizona revealed a projected loss of close to $250 million), Christian educational institutions face unique challenges. In order to help leaders think clearly and constructively about messaging during this time, we wanted to present a general framework for a communication strategy with practical tips on how to engage with your stakeholders during a time of crisis. And, to specifically help those of you leading Christian institutions, we wanted to provide a biblical context and framework for crisis communication messaging.
Step 1: Conduct an Audience Analysis
Think about your audiences. What do they care about? We have provided varying stakeholders and some questions they may have during this time.
Students (Currently enrolled and in the pipeline)
· Will I be able to return to campus?
· Is it safe to return to campus?
· Will I graduate on time?
· What will graduation look like?
· What do I need to pay?
· Will I get any money back?
Parents & Guardians
· What measures is the university taking to protect the health and safety of the student(s)?
· Will tuition and room and board costs be adjusted?
· How can I help my student(s) work if/while they are at home?
Faculty
· Will my class modality change?
· Will the university forsake student evaluations during this time?
· What resources are available for my own support and the support of my students?
· Will my employment status change?
· Will I be provided tools to work remotely?
Staff
· Have daily operations and expectations for my position changed?
· Will my employment status change?
· Will I be provided tools to work remotely?
Administrators
· What are the budgetary implications?
· How can we best support faculty, staff, and students?
· What does employee compensation look like during a closure?
Board of Trustees
· What precautions should we be encouraging everyone to take?
· How do we communicate with families?
· What personal protective equipment is available?
General Public
· What is the institution doing to keep faculty, staff, and students safe?
· What is the institution’s plan moving forward?
· How long will the institution stay closed?
When I was looking at colleges, my dad, and I quote, wanted me to attend somewhere that would “develop the man as well as the mind.” This led me to a Christian higher education institution. You probably already know that most of your stakeholders care about the mission. They care about the kingdom. But, they also care about safety, wise decisions, and next steps. Today, your people will want to know if their jobs are intact and the overall state of the institution. The beauty of working at a Christian institution, though, is that you can frame your messages as part of the kingdom mandate.
In thinking about audience analysis, I am reminded of Paul speaking at Athens. When he spoke to the men of Athens, he mastered the context of the day. He recognized who they were, understood what they cared about, and created a framework for understanding that resonated. While the contexts are different, for Paul he was proclaiming the truths of the Gospel to a pagan culture, we can learn from Paul’s communication style. Remember, most of your ‘audiences’ do not understand the day-to-day operations of the university. There is a thoughtful articulation that has to come from Christian institutions and their leadership. Prayerfully consider how you can communicate your message to your stakeholders in a way that is wise and discerning.
Step 2: Discern and Communicate Relevant Information
After you conduct an audience analysis, you have to determine what information to send. Recently, several risk and crisis communication experts developed the IDEA model (Sellnow, Lane, Sellnow, & Littlefield, 2017) to help people know how to protect themselves during a crisis. The IDEA model emphasizes:
Internalization (i.e. helping people internalize the impact of the event);
Distribution (i.e. channels needed to distribute messages);
Explanation (i.e. explaining the nature of the crisis); and
Action (i.e. providing self-protective action steps).
We believe there are ways to make the IDEA model even more specific for leaders of a Christian institution:
Internalization
- Have you helped people understand the impact of the virus on themselves and others?
- Have you encouraged people to lament and mourn the loss of jobs, stability, and comfort?
- Have you acted in a shepherding manner, caring not just for the practical but spiritual needs of your people?
Distribution
- Have you encouraged your stakeholders to visit credible resources?
- Are you sending out messages that transfer information but also provide hope?
Explanation
- Have you provided explanations for the events that are biblical and God-focused?
- Have you explained your own decisions as harkening back to scripture and biblical principles of sound wisdom and genuine care for one another?
Action
- Have you provided action steps that are kingdom focused, not just focused on budget?
- Are your action steps focused on the community and the community of care not just individuals?
Each of these elements is important and need to be a part of the message. For your purposes, as administrators at Christian educational institutions, you can use a similar template to communicate with your stakeholders during a time of crisis:
· Help people discern the personal/institutional impact of the crisis
· Think about how to effectively communicate your message(s) (i.e. weekly emails, updated websites, multimedia)
· Explain what is happening and be transparent with the information you have
· Offer a procedure by providing steps for what to do next based on the information you have
Remember to incorporate each of these aspects into your message to increase effectiveness.
Step 3: Think Strategically
It is important to remember, during a crisis, that as a leader people are looking to you for comfort, advice, strategy, and guidance. These are difficult times. A crisis, though, presents some opportunities for innovation, renewed operations, and big picture thinking-almost out of necessity. As you think about your urgent needs, think about what life at your institution can look like in FA2021 and beyond and inspire hope, as best you can, that leads people to an excitement about the future.
The future for your institution may rely more on church, parachurch, or organizational partnerships. Like other nonprofits communicating with a board or other stakeholders, have you made sure you have provided reminders to your sphere of influence that remind them of your mission, your story, your students, etc. We are living in a time where we can, and should, genuinely rely on one other for resources, wise decisions, and comfort. In the midst of that, clarifying your kingdom mission and identifying kingdom decisions can be the best course of action for a leader at a Christian institution. The beauty of your situation, as executives at Christian universities, is that your crisis messaging does not revolve solely on individual stakeholders and instead you can provide hope, clarity, opportunities for prayer and lament, and genuine biblical instruction as you message. Be wise, be discerning, and leave a legacy of biblical decisions in a time of crisis.
Michael Strawser serves as Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Central Florida; Lakelyn Taylor is a doctoral student in the area of strategic communication at the University of Central Florida.