Larry D. Lauer

What do you do when someone issues a public criticism of your institution, or a one-sided negative opinion appears in the news media? I must admit that recent changes in the political environment, as well as the practices of 24-7 cable news channels, have altered my thinking.

Formerly, l almost always counseled colleagues to not respond.  My belief was that to do so only added fuel to the situation and challenged the critic to respond again.  All too often, a well-intentioned correction was counter-productive and only intensified the controversy.  Rather, with no response at all, the matter was usually forgotten.

But today, in a media climate of sour, mean-spirited polarization, the dynamic appears to be much different. An un-rebutted charge is likely to be made again and again, and ultimately an untruth can gain acceptance as fact.  If it is continually repeated that the new health care legislation creates “death panels,” all too many people eventually come to believe it is true.  It’s a maddening reality of this “new media,” passion-dominated, breaking news-crazy world.

All this is to say I have been forced to change my thinking about responding to vicious charges.

First, I still would consider not responding.  It’s possible that some charges will still go away if left unchallenged. That depends, however, entirely on the intensity of the intentions of the source of the charge. These days, the background and overall purposes of the source must be studied and understood each time a criticism is made.

If the source is determined to be highly motivated, or a member of an organized initiative, there is no choice in today’s media climate: you will have  to be prepared to deliver a carefully shaped, and intense, reply. You will do well to devise a comprehensive communication plan that features simple talking points, carefully chosen multi-media channels, and a focus on your most significant target markets. This is especially important if an un-rebutted initial charge is made a second time.

It is very important to always shape your statement around simple talking points, and never get off on tangents or side stories.  Make sure to always stay on message. Plan to deliver the statement with equal or greater intensity as your adversary, and be ready to sustain the public conversation for the long-term.

One final observation: The dynamics of grassroots politics will likely apply. Sadly, you will have to settle for not pleasing everyone.  If the message is skillfully crafted your supporters will begin a word-of-mouth, positive response. But, you will also have to accept that your adversaries will remain adversaries,  and while some neutrals will come with you, others will not.  The new reality of this polarized world is that it is better to rally your troops than to suffer the humiliation of being labeled as ineffective, or even disappointing, to your most important constituents.