Çınar Ergin
A few days ago, I came across Crisis Communications Management, a book by renowned communication consultant Adrian Wheeler. As I flipped through the pages of this guide—written by a seasoned PR professional and media trainer—I couldn’t help but reflect on how our companies approach crisis management.
In the book, Wheeler explains one of the biggest nightmares for communication professionals—crisis management—in a clear and simple manner.
Fifty years ago, a company’s value was measured by its tangible assets. Today, it is largely measured by intangible assets—especially reputation. As the importance of reputation increases, so does the need for time and money to protect it. In the U.S. and Europe, this is met with a high-level, proactive approach. But in our region, it is often overlooked. A crisis only receives attention when it’s already knocking at the door. That’s when everyone affected starts running—some get burned, others get lucky. Most of the time, we end up taking pride in how much damage we were able to minimize.
To Manage Crises Effectively, We Must Let Go of Fatalism
One of the main reasons we delay crisis planning is the belief that “it won’t happen to us.” Fatalistic thinking often leads companies to cut any budget that doesn’t directly boost sales—especially preparations for crises and efforts to build strong stakeholder relationships. As a result, we either react too late or panic, which turns a regular crisis into a communication crisis.
However, as Wheeler points out, we have just one hour to take the first step in managing a crisis. We must act quickly and get it right the first time. Otherwise, the crisis can escalate—resulting in reputation loss, declining sales, falling stock prices, stakeholder distrust, and even broken partnerships. Worse still, we rarely take the time to evaluate the impact of a crisis afterward. Because by then, the crisis is over—and we simply move on, making rough assumptions based on sales figures.
Yes, we only have one hour to react. And we’re not ready. Most of the time, senior management spends the first two hours just deciding whether the incident even qualifies as a crisis. Their priorities are to avoid risk and seek consensus—often with dozens of people involved. (But in such situations, it is the CEO who must take the risk and lead.)
Then comes the decision to release a statement, followed by the drafting process. That draft? It usually takes at least half a day to get approved.
A Wrong Move May Cost You Your Career, But…
CEOs must accept that crisis management often requires solitary decision-making in real time. Being a CEO also means being able to shoulder responsibility. Yes, a wrong decision could cost you your career—but then again, you’re sitting in that chair precisely because you are expected to make the right calls in moments like these. Hesitation or delayed action can lead to far greater losses for your company.
And this delay matters. We are exposed to thousands of messages every day—from emails to WhatsApp groups. The pace is relentless. We no longer have the luxury of processing things in depth. Perceptions form instantly. Unfortunately, many executives underestimate the power of perception because they believe they are “right.” Meanwhile, perception has already raced ahead. Any delay or ambiguity is often interpreted as guilt. Failing to tell the truth quickly—or to apologize—or releasing a poorly written statement can turn a crisis into a PR disaster. And the damage from a PR disaster often lasts much longer than the crisis itself.
A Growing List of Brand Crises
In recent years, amplified by the power of social media, many brands in Turkey—including Patiswiss, Beypazarı, Petlas, Beymen, Akbank, Beypiliç, Nutella, Eyüp Sabri Tuncer, Köfteci Yusuf, LC Waikiki, and Zorlu Holding—have found themselves in the midst of serious crises. Some emerged deeply wounded, perhaps beyond repair; others managed to weather the storm. Why? Because they were prepared. They took the right actions. They protected—and in some cases, even enhanced—their reputations.
So why do our companies still gamble with the risk of seeing their 20-year reputations—built brick by brick—destroyed in a single day, as Warren Buffet warned? How can we justify allowing this “nothing will happen” mentality to dominate our corporate culture, just as it does in our personal lives? It’s like ignoring the dangers of smoking until we get sick—by the time we realize the cost, it’s already too late. If you don’t want to face the consequences, you need to take precautions now.
The Rise of Fatalism Among Company Owners
I’ve recently observed a growing fatalism among company owners when it comes to crises. The reason is clear: with the power of social media, it’s almost impossible to stay ahead of a crisis. There is now a widespread sentiment that “the public sides with whoever appears weaker,” which often means being against large corporations. Even if you’re right—even if you tell the truth—you may still be attacked.
Because of this, many executives now focus more on damage control and post-crisis communication. The motivation? “A new issue comes up every day. People will forget this in a few days. Why put in extra effort when it won’t make a difference anyway?”
This attitude, unfortunately, feels all too specific to our region.