Radical authenticity and its role in crisis communication 

CRJ’s Advisory Panel member Amanda Coleman looks at the need for a shift towards radical authenticity in crisis communication in an era of misinformation and eroded public trust in her latest blog for Under Pressure.


Image by andreyoskirko | Freepik

Authenticity has become an overused phrase in communication, and I admit to being guilty of stressing it in my crisis communication training sessions. What I mean is that it is no longer the best option to have some carefully crafted words that the leader of the organisation learns before they deliver it in some grand speech way. People need to feel they can trust people and organisations, which can only come from feeling they are being honest and genuine.

However, there is another concept that is worth considering in terms of crisis management and approaches to crisis communication, and that is radical authenticity. 

What is radical authenticity? It is an approach that means an organisation is completely and transparently honest, and it does this when it is difficult, challenging, inconvenient or potentially embarrassing. In practice, this means dropping the corporate facades and working to provide genuine updates and details with no careful choreography.

This will be a step too far for many businesses and organisations. There will be citing of legal restrictions, business confidentiality and other boundaries to prevent this from happening. However, in a world that is increasingly distrustful and where rumour and speculation circulate quickly on social media, it may be the best approach. We aren’t going to get there overnight and need to take steps in the right direction.

We can start with ensuring that there are no scripted statements to encourage the spokesperson to say what they are told to. Instead, focus on being open and honest in a personal way. Ditch the corporate and legal statements and approach it from a human perspective, and be prepared to answer tough questions and consider whether in the aftermath you would be duty of candour compliant.

At the heart of radical authenticity is an acceptance that to admit flaws and failures will help to rebuild trust and create a firmer foundation for a strong future. This may be the only way to address the digital challenges and misinformation and disinformation in the future. It cannot happen without a mindset change within organisations, and that may take some time to deliver.

Read the original article here.