| | Theory Behind It | Action Step | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1. Detect | Situational Awareness | Set up social listening alerts before the crisis. (JetBlue failed this.) | | 2. Acknowledge | SCCT (Victim cluster) | Respond in 1 hour. "We are aware of X and are investigating." Silence = Guilt. | | 3. Express Empathy | Image Repair (Mortification) | Say "We are sorry this happened" even before fault is determined. | | 4. State Facts & Action | Corrective Action | What broke? What are you fixing right now ? | | 5. Rebuild Trust | Two-way communication | Create a public timeline of fixes. Invite audits. (KFC’s "FCK" ad did this.) | The Single Biggest Lesson from 20 Real Cases Theory says: "Match the response to the responsibility." Reality says: "Your customers don't care about your org chart."
Stakeholder theory says: Employees first, but truth always. Never write an internal memo you wouldn’t want on CNN. And never use euphemisms ("re-accommodate") for violence. The Real-World Framework (Your Cheat Sheet) When you leave the classroom, you won't have time to Google "SCCT matrix." Use this simplified, case-tested workflow instead: | | Theory Behind It | Action Step
In the classroom, we learn elegant models—Coombs’ Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), Benoit’s Image Repair Theory, and the simple 3Ps (People, Product, Process). In the real world, however, the CEO is panicking, Twitter is on fire, and the legal team is screaming, "Say nothing!" Acknowledge | SCCT (Victim cluster) | Respond in 1 hour
How do you bridge the gap? Let’s look at three major theories and apply them directly to real cases you actually remember. The Rule: Match your response to the level of crisis responsibility. Victim (low responsibility) → Accommodate . Accidental (moderate) → Justify . Preventable (high) → Apologize/Recall . Express Empathy | Image Repair (Mortification) | Say
Whether you're Tylenol (1982) recalling capsules perfectly or Boeing (2019) denying MCAS software flaws, the public uses a simple moral test: Are you choosing safety over money? People over process?
The result: United stock dropped $1.4 billion in value. Munoz later called it a "humbling experience."