When should you turn to your CEO in a crisis?

At what point should an organization put its CEO in front of the media during a crisis?

Many organizations call on executives to address journalists and the public when the worst happens. It is a common move that puts a face on the problem and demonstrates contrition.

There are many benefits to this approach. It shows the organization is taking the incident seriously and displays visible leadership and accountability. It can also mean that they can get ahead of the story and control the narrative. In many cases there is the added benefit of the CEO being an experienced and articulate media spokesperson.

However, does that mean it is always the right approach?

A dangerous precedent

One of the biggest problems with this strategy is that if CEO is wheeled out at the start, it can create an expectancy that they are going to front every media interview. If the crisis is likely to run for a while, such a strategy would be exhausting and unmanageable, and that in turn is likely to lead to mistakes.

Another concern is that if you use your heaviest hitter at the start, how can you escalate your response if the crisis deepens?

A recent example would be Paul Pester, CEO of TSB. As the bank tried respond to a major IT failure, Mr Pester was immediately visible and quick to apologize.