Pub. 5 2015-2016 Issue 1

31 members, community players is critical to your success. This may also include legal research to understand all potential options. You can never understand the issue too well. Step 5. Develop the message Now that you are fully armed with the facts and context, what is your message? Are you going to be apologetic? A victim? The aggressor? Blow back from a larger discussion? It is important to be honest. Identify what your status in this discussion really is, then honestly address the concern. Be thoughtful about responding aggressively and ensure that all statements are very well thought out. That is the bigger picture, then you shift into micro. What are the key phrases you will use or not use? Literally develop a sentence that will be used. Anticipate questions and develop exact sentence responses. Your message needs to be very deliberate. It may be delivered in an ‘aw shucks’ tone, though do not take the actual words lightly. Every word conveys a meaning. Step 6. What is the venue, who is the au- dience, who is your spokesperson Know your audience. In public relations, you only re- spond in the venue you are attacked. If it is TV, you only respond on TV. You do not blast out on Facebook, as an example. And if you do, you need to fully discuss why you would respond on a platform that did not carry the message in the first place. The spokesperson is a very important part of the mes- sage. Who says what, is itself a key communication. It may be the president of your PTO delivering the message; it may be the board chair; school leader; it may be an outside en- tity seemingly not related to your school. All options con- vey a different message. Make sure your choice reflects your desired outcome. Step 7: Communicate the crisis and the message to your effected community Once you have prepared the message, you need to dis- cuss communicating with staff, parents and key community members. You do not want your strongest supporters to hear about this first in the media, unless your message is to the victim. Be very aware of your charter school family and what they are going to see, hear and potentially believe. Step 8: Taking “the phone call” First, a quick note about taking the phone call. When dealing with the media your first instinct is to take the call, talk with them, answer the questions then get off the phone and cringe. You feel obligated to talk with them on the spot because that is what we normally do. Don’t! When the call comes, be very polite. Explain that you are just finishing up something and you will need to get back with them. Ask them the following questions: “when is your deadline?” and, “What specific questions do you have?” Once you have the deadline and know the ques- tions, let them know you will get back with them. They will appreciate that curtesy and professionalism. Then of course, make certain you keep your word. Remember, that while reporters and media are fun sport to bash, they ultimately have a job to do. They have a boss who expects them to meet a deadline with a solid story. Your role is to help them develop a strong, accurate sto- ry that conveys your message. The media is a tool to be thoughtfully used. Step 9: The interview Be polite, professional and always calm. Flying off the handle is the first step in losing the message, and makes for awesome sport in the media. Stay focused on your prepared message. If the reporter asks X, Y Z, there is no harm is giv- ing them Y, Z and A. Be honest, explain why your answer is the story, and not another narrative crafted by outside enti- ties. Remember, this is not evasive but instead allows you to shape the narrative consistent with your message. Also, practice the prepared message. Talk out loud. While it may seem embarrassing, this preparation will keep you on message. Step 10: Expanding the message? Once you have conducted the interview the question be- come: What do you share beyond the interview? It may be an ongoing issue, which means you may need to be proac- tive in sharing updates, etc or you may decide it requires additional venues to get ahead of the message. You may watch or read the story and feel the narrative was wrong and determine you need to formally push a response. Stay tuned to the issue and fully engage, wisely until it is closed. Bonus: Seek outside advice. You need an experienced friend to bring objectivity and experience to the discussion. Reach out to UAPCS for assistance. They are knowledgeable about charter schools, the law, operations, context, other examples, relationships, etc. It is common when something goes wrong to hang your head in shame and hide. You can do that at home. Outside of home, you have to take the issue by the horns and handle it like a professional. And professionals seek outside counsel, an honest advocate. In closing, these 10 steps are important, though others who read this would make adjustments – good! That means you are being very deliberate in your response. If you ever need to engage the media, the single most important thing to remember is that you need to be very intentional about your response and message. Whether you use this article and advice, or find others, you cannot simply be a specta- tor. The military calls spectators: V.I.P.s, or Very Important Passengers. There are no passengers in leadership! Be a pro- fessional and engage strongly, boldly and with a very deter- mined plan. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” History teaches us this truth. Don’t get caught on the wrong side of history!