ey share some similarities to other real world crisis situations. Political crises are at heart crises of communication; as such effectively managing communications is the root of managing political crises. As we will see, effectively managing communications is the single most important element of managing any crisis situation.
Crises are best defined as "an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially: one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome" (Merriam-Webster). Regardless of the kind of organization or business facing a crisis situation, crises share a number of characteristics.
Surprise. Crises tend to be unexpected, and the event that precipitated the crisis is usually out of the affected organization's control (Thompson, 8).
Insufficient Information. During crises, organizations typically lack reliable, accurate, and complete information about the event that triggered the crisis. This can often exacerbate the crisis (Thompson, 8).
Public Pressure. A crisis is almost always accompanied by public pressure for information. The public and the media will demand to know what happened and why it happened, when the organization became aware of the situation, and what steps have been taken to address the problem (Thompson, 8).
Media Attention. The inevitable avalanche of media attention often leads organizations to focus on their media response, often to the detriment of actually fixing the problem that caused the crisis (Thompson, 8).
Siege Mentality. During crises, organizations often enter into a siege mentality as a result of the public furor and the never-ending flow of requests for information and comments about the issue. This can often result in a breakdown of communication channels and can lead organizations to be reluctant to publicly provide information about the crisis (Thompson, 8).
The following figure shows the...