In my humble opinion the quickest way for us to become instant villains as well as guilty until proven innocent is to utter the words “no comment.”
In a sticky situation that begs for solid crisis communication techniques the two most dangerous words you can ever tell a reporter is “no comment.”
“No comment” renders you powerless over a story involving your department. It invites reporters to talk to other people who might not hesitate to put their spin on your issue. Worse yet, it makes you look defensive and unsure how to truthfully answer.
How then, should you respond when a reporter asks a tough, angry or hostile question that you clearly cannot answer, or don’t want to answer? Here are alternatives to “no comment.”
The old PR “Bridging” technique is valuable because it helps you get your main point across when you’re asked a question you don’t want to answer. You “bridge” from the reporter’s question to your message as subtly as possible, by using one of several phrases.
Question: “Why was one of your volunteer fire department members driving their own car so carelessly to the firehouse to answer an alarm that they caused a major accident?”
Answer: “I don’t have all the facts to be able to answer that question accurately. But I can tell you that…” Then continue with your key point.
“I agree that this created a problem and I’d like to go directly to our solution.” Then state your key point.
“We have our share of challenges, just like everyone else does, but it’s important to remember that…” Then state your key point.
Tough, Hostile Questions
When a reporter asks a tough, angry, hostile question, here some ways to respond:
Question: Doesn’t you department do anything to train firefighters not to drive recklessly to a call. I guess you have no policy?
“I wouldn’t use that choice of words. If you are asking whether volunteer driver safety on the way to the firehouse is addressed by this department, I can tell you that…”
Question: Isn’t it true your volunteer firefighters enjoy special amenities, like a workout room in your firehouse that is paid for by taxpayer dollars?
“Your question points out a common misconception we hear all the time. The real issue is…” Then restate the issue.
When the reporter’s question has nothing to do with your fire department, here’s a good response:
Question: What is your opinion of the recent fire in the next district that could have been prevented if their initial response time was quicker?
“What you are asking about has nothing whatsoever to do with our department. But thank you anyway for giving us the opportunity to be a part of your story. Have you perhaps thought about calling…?”
By the way, it’s surprising, and probably the number one reason PIO’s say “no comment” is because what they really mean to say is “I don’t know.” Think about it. When was the last time you saw a reporter quote someone saying “I don’t know”?
I frequently tell reporters that I don’t know the answer to a question, or that I need time to track down the information they need. This usually unsettles them because they are not getting the instant gratification of a usable quote. Normally I ask about their deadline, and then return their call in quick order when I have the answer.
Also on The Fire PIO…
- Watch out for the Reporter who Flips the Script – October 21, 2010
- Yelling Down a Black Hole – October 4, 2010
- Responding to unfounded Complaints – November 12, 2010
- What’s in your PIO or PAO “Go To” bag? – October 18, 2010
No Comments