The 8:05

Beware of a ‘Billable Crisis’

Headshot of Michael Armini
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 My wife often says that I have “an amazing capacity to retain useless information.” She’s not wrong. Here’s a case in point. As I’ve watched organizations—including universities—manage the current, very combustible situation, my mind suddenly recalled an old “Archie” comic strip from the 1970s:

I’ve written in past editions of the 8:05 about some rules of the road in crisis communications. I referenced the paradoxical maxim, “Don’t just do something, stand there!” Yes, it’s often the case in a crisis that too many unprompted actions (issuing statements, releasing videos, holding press conferences) mostly pours gas on the fire. 

For this reason, leaders who retain law firms or PR agencies to manage a crisis need to be cognizant of the payment structure. As noted in the comic above, when people are paid by the hour they’re incentivized to take as much time as possible. In the current climate, this means keeping the crisis going. This often manifests in actions that the firm can charge billable hours for, but are often not be in the best interest of the client. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are some great consultants out there who can add value when the stuff is hitting the fan. But the best ones understand that they should be incentivized to calm the waters, not to keep the meter running. This, among other reasons, is why I have a slight bias toward strong, in-house teams. 

Corollary: Answers, not pronouncements

A related issue is the difference between top-down statements and providing answers to questions. We’ve seen countless organizations—particularly higher ed institutions—attempt to mollify passionate constituencies with one-way declarations. I’m a big believer in the power of language (it’s at the heart of what I do) but we shouldn’t overestimate the effectiveness of email communiqués as a crisis management tool. 

Northeastern’s leadership team has deliberately used a more retail approach, which means meeting with people and groups, and hearing them out. Sit down with people—in person if possible—and practice the 10/90 rule. This simply means speak 10% of the time and listen 90%. Yes, this retail approach is often more work, but I think it has served us well. 

And when it’s time to put proverbial pen to paper, providing a detailed FAQ—based on real questions picked up along the way—is far preferable than issuing maxims from the mountaintop. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend checking out Northeastern’s updated FAQ. And if you have questions that aren’t listed here, please let me know.

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