Effective crisis management training and planning means that you are prepared to do and say the right thing when an issue breaks. Your crisis communication response will click into gear to reassure stakeholders, calm the situation and reduce potential reputational damage.
Unfortunately the League Managers’ Association’s response to the offensive texts sent by Malky Mackay has done the exact reverse.
Crises thrive on conflict, and football is no stranger to controversy as we saw during the World Cup. The objective of your crisis management plan is to reduce this conflict: that’s why an empathetic tone of voice and saying sorry can be so powerful. Certainly your words and action should be designed to avoid opening new lines of attack which prolong and sustain the crisis, causing additional reputational damage.
An unpleasant incident has now become a crisis not just for Malky Mackay, but for the LMA as well. Consider your words and actions carefully when dealing with sensitive topics to avoid adding fuel to the fire.