• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Media-Manoeuvres-Logo_NoTagline_Full-Colour
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
    • Media Spokesperson Training
    • Stakeholder Communications
    • Executive Presentation Skills
    • On Camera Presentation Training
    • Senate Estimates Performance and Preparation Skills
    • Crisis Communications
    • Schools Crisis and Issues Management
    • Royal Commissions and Government Inquiries
  • Online Virtual Training
    • Virtual Media Training
    • Virtual Presentation Skills
  • Team
  • News
  • Contact Us
    • Perth
    • Brisbane
    • Canberra
    • Sydney
    • Melbourne

What lawyers think about communicators in a crisis shows the great divide still exists

July 30, 2020 by Media Manoeuvres Leave a Comment

Despite years of working together, some lawyers still don’t trust professional communicators to do the right thing in a crisis, and most think it’s lawyers, not communicators who should take the lead in deciding what to do and say.

A new report reopens that age-old debate about the role of lawyers and communicators in a crisis and reveals that conflict between legal and communication advice is still very real.

While PR people are typically not reluctant to share their opinions about lawyers, Melbourne crisis expert Dr Tony Jaques wanted to know what lawyers think about their own role in a crisis and what they think about communicators they have to work with.

To find out, he partnered with a reputation and change management consultancy and its PROI overseas network to interview experienced crisis lawyers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and UK. The results of this first-of-its-kind survey have just been released.

The lawyers interviewed said that while the relationship with communication professionals is improving, one of the areas particularly prone to conflict relates to disclosure and apologising. Specifically, they think communicators’ tendency to communicate openly and transparently means they risk disclosing information, which may lead to liability or future litigation.  The lawyers are also concerned about the lack of legal awareness among communicators.

Another perceived area of potential conflict was balancing speed and accuracy. Almost every lawyer emphasised the need for certainty before communicating in a crisis.

This response appeared to show little appreciation that in a genuine crisis it is very common that decisions must be made quickly on what is known at the time, which is typically incomplete.

When the lawyers were asked to nominate the main strength they bring to a crisis, the most common response was not their legal expertise but an ability to be calm and predictable.

At the same time, when asked to identify what communicators bring to a crisis, the lawyers’ focus was not on tactical skills, though they broadly recognised the communicators’ ability to develop succinct messages. Instead the lawyers nominated the main strength of communicators as their understanding of stakeholders.  As an aside, some conceded their profession were inclined to over-complicate messaging and that communicators “understand the imperfections of human nature better than lawyers.”

While some of the lawyers interviewed expressed a continuing lack of trust in communicators, a striking theme was recognition that both ‘sides’ need to develop a better appreciation of each other’s roles. The sense was that improved understanding would lead to greater mutual respect for what lawyers and communicators can each contribute when a crisis strikes.

When conflicting advice about crisis communication arises, several lawyers in the survey stressed the importance of what they called a “hand-in-glove” approach. That was the key, they said, to achieve the best possible outcome for the organisation as a whole.

The full survey report can be downloaded here.

The lawyer interviews form part of a newly-published book by Tony Jaques: Crisis Counsel: Navigating Legal and Communication Conflict.

Filed Under:

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • What Lies Ahead For Communication Professionals Post-COVID-19?
  • What lawyers think about communicators in a crisis shows the great divide still exists
  • Stakeholder Communication In A Crisis – Why Is It Important?
  • How does media training fit into the digital age?
  • Was your media training really just a Q&A rehearsal?

Archives

Media-Manoeuvres-Logo_NoTagline_Full-Colour
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Team
  • News
  • Contact
Melbourne:
575 Bourke St, Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Sydney:
391 Glebe Point Rd Glebe,
NSW 2037
Perth:
38 Webster St
Nedlands 6009

[email protected]

PERTH
1800 183 343

BRISBANE
1800 183 343

CANBERRA
02 6282 8660

SYDNEY
02 9905 8266

MELBOURNE
03 9510 6000

ON-CAMERA SKILLS TRAINING

The advent of the digital age has given rise to the importance of online video content. A video with a good presenter/s can engage and influence stakeholders. How others immediately perceive you or your business comes down to the first few seconds of you on camera!

Read more: Camera Presentation Training

VIRTUAL PRESENTATION SKILLS

Your impression when presenting online has been important for many years, but it is now crucial with almost all business being conducted via videoconference. Stand out from the crowd with impressive skills, taught by our international keynote speakers and webinar hosts.

Read more: Virtual Presentation Skills

LIVE ONLINE MEDIA TRAINING

Spokespeople from all organisations need to adapt to new ways to deliver their messages, and journalists are looking for great interviewees wherever they may be. Get ahead of the pack with our live, online media training which is customised and flexible, just like our face-to-face training sessions.

Read more: Live Online Media Training

ELEARNING MEDIA AND PRESENTATION SKILLS

Cost efficiency, time flexibility and the opportunity to train many more people are the significant benefits of online learning. Mobile-enabled eLearning programmes and modules, webinars, live and static digital platforms and forums can be blended (if required) with face-to-face formats.

Read more: E-Learning Training

MAYOR AND COUNCILLOR SKILLS TRAINING

Customised Media Spokesperson Skills training for newly elected Mayors and Councillors is highly recommended to ensure they are in control of their key messages and are able to hold their nerve in the face of a tough community meeting, as well as getting the media coverage they deserve.

Read more: Local Government Training

SCHOOL ISSUES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Media Manoeuvres has a well-established reputation as school crisis management experts. We provide strategic issues and crises planning and organisational media skills coaching to many national and international educational institutions and schools. Before the media calls, schools call us.

Read more: School Crisis Training

EXECUTIVE PRESENTATION SKILLS TRAINING

Whether you are presenting in person or on-screen, you only get one chance to make a first impression and that takes just a few seconds. Getting it right the first time is essential because repairing a poor impression is not easy.

Read more: Presentation Skills Training

SME ISSUES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Every organisation is vulnerable to a crisis – it’s knowing the right way to deal with a situation that changes the way companies are perceived by their stakeholders and the media.

Read more: Crisis Communications Management

MEDIA SKILLS TRAINING

Having good media spokespeople can make all the difference between a superior reputation and a bad one. That’s why training in this area will reap huge rewards for your business.

The Media Manoeuvres approach to media training across Australia is simple: Companies must have effective and efficient media spokespeople. Not only that, but training in this area should be ongoing for senior management, executives and team members.

Read more: Media Skills Training

ROYAL COMMISSIONS & SENATE ESTIMATES

“Democracy in action” is how some describe this exhaustive process whereby Commissioners, Counsel Assisting or Senators can ask endless questions of witnesses appearing. News stories don’t always begin in a Royal Commission or Estimates, but it is often the place where details come out, and reputational damage for you and your organisation can result.

Read more: Royal Commission Training

Read more: Senate Estimates Training

STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS KEY MESSAGING

A strategic approach to stakeholder and media communications, which addresses the importance of stakeholder needs, will guarantee connection and influence.
Designing thoughtful, meaningful and relevant stakeholder and media messages that align with company objectives is vital.

Read more: Stakeholder Communications Training

How some describe this exhaustive process whereby Commissioners, Counsel Assisting or Senators can ask endless questions of witnesses appearing. News stories don’t always begin in a Royal Commission or Estimates, but it is often the place where details come out, and reputational damage for you and your organisation can result.

    Request for "[article-title]" article