We have had the great misfortune of dealing with numerous crisis events over the last year or two, not unlike our colleagues in and outside the Ivy League. I have heard many people talk about having a “crisis plan” but never actually saw anything put into words. Here are some things you should consider if you are faced with a crisis or any unusual situation as a member of Yale’s Department of Athletics. This is more geared to coaches and direct support staff but could be applied to numerous situations. Please realize that no single set of guidelines can cover everything that you might encounter, but these could help prevent you from enhancing the crisis.
Important Questions to Ask Yourself When a Crisis Occurs
1. Do I need to share this information with anyone?
- it’s always better for you to tell the AD or your Associate rather than having them find out elsewhere
- in most cases you are better off getting some direction or advice
- if this is newsworthy, you don’t want superiors to find out by reading it in the newspaper
2. Who else needs to know at Yale?
- Office of Public Affairs (OPA) handles all issues that result from an event that is not team related
- OPA will also inform the president if needed
- Sports Publicity Office (SPO) is involved if this issue effects something on the website (roster, etc.) or in a brochure
- SPO can also help gauge the media interest and feedback if the issue is newsworthy
- SPO can also help determine a “spin” on the dissemination of the information
3. Do you need feedback from the person directly involved in the situation?
- this certainly depends on the situation
- after an athlete was involved in a near-fatal incident, we asked how he would like us to handle media inquiries
- we have had situations where parents needed to be contacted to give the ok to disseminate information
- sometimes a statement from the primary subject in the issue will suffice
4. If the situation will result in an announcement from the department or the university, what needs to be considered?
- notify team members or anyone else who will be directly impacted by the announcement
- consider the reactions/ramifications from all sectors before making information public
- always assume confidential information will leak when you have a situation involving students and there is student media
- one “voice” representing the school is best
- collect all the facts before saying anything
5. What do I say if questioned by the media?
- you might get caught off guard by an inquiry, and it’s fine only to say I need to get back to you (gather facts, speak with others)
- it is OK to say nothing and avoid providing something you might regret before having a chance to think about it
- a reporter may be telling you something that is NOT true, so taking a little time will help
- be honest and give the perception that you are on top of things
- never say “no comment” or “I would rather not comment” because it might imply that you are holding back information
- you might find that some questions should be directed to the head of the department or your direct superior
Many of you have experienced the need for crisis PR in your careers. Please submit to Steve Conn any feedback or helpful comments on this subject that might be included to enhance this document.
7/14/04