Stories with Traction: Is Your Company Ready for a Crisis? [Gina Rubel Featured in Podcast Interview]
Gina Rubel, founder and CEO of Furia Rubel, was a featured guest on “Stories with Traction,” a podcast hosted by Matt Zaun. The podcast examines the importance of crisis communications for companies and how to implement communications strategies that protect the brand of an organization.
Rubel outlined the difference between a crisis and an incident: “An incident is something that could rise to the level of a crisis, but not all matters are a crisis. A crisis is a situation that can bring down a company or put people in harm’s way. It can have a long-term effect on the employees, customers, and public. It’s very dependent on the situation and the severity of the potential outcomes.”
Rubel also described how to create a crisis management team: “Every company should have a list of who’s on their crisis team, their phone numbers, and where a crisis will be managed from. On that team you would have the CEO, the CMO, and general counsel. You need to know who the spokesperson will be.”
Rubel outlined the value of preparing for a crisis: “A crisis or incident response plan is the same thing as insurance. It’s helping you to manage quickly and efficiently, and it’s getting buy-in so you don’t have to wait.”
Rubel also offered advice on how to communicate after successfully managing a crisis: “A lot of things have to be tested in a soft sell first. There are ways to let stories tell themselves. There are times to pat yourself on the back, and there are times to let others do it for you.”
The interview also covered examples of crises a company might experience and how to navigate them.
