The biggest gap in Crisis Management is media readiness

    You ran a crisis exercise.

    The IT Department performed.
    Legal was cautious.
    Operations moved fast.

    Then came the media interview and the feedback was “your spokesperson is not ready”.

    The CEO over-explained.
    The answers drifted.
    Empathy was missed.
    Key messages disappeared under pressure.

    One of the most common recommendations following a crisis simulation exercise is for Media Training to be organised for the CEO, the Chair, and other key executives who may have to face the media.

    It is not criticism. It is constructive feedback and risk mitigation.

    The-biggest-gap-in-crisis-management-is-media-readiness

    A bad media interview can escalate a crisis

    The media moves quickly in covering a crisis. A single unanswered enquiry can become the new headline. If an organisation is perceived to be slow in providing information and resistant to talking to the media, it can cause further reputational damage.

    The objective is to provide a considered, accurate and timely response to media as quickly as possible. Afterall, there are customers and other stakeholders wanting information.

    Requests for interviews will normally flood in. If the crisis is making headlines, it is expected that a spokesperson will be made available to stand in front of cameras and microphones and answer questions.

    This is the danger point if the executive or spokesperson is not confident in the skills to manage an interview or media conference.

    The risk is:

    • A defensive tone becomes the headline.
    • A technical explanation sounds like an excuse.
    • A lack of empathy or delayed response looks like indifference.

    Media training builds ‘muscle memory’ to know how to respond

    A 10-second interview ‘grab’ on TV news or radio can destroy a brand’s reputation.

    The journalist is analysing the spokesperson’s behaviour and response, but the audience is judging it. Tone, body language, what they say, and how they say it is all quickly accessed to decide if they can be trusted.

    For the executive or spokesperson, it is a high-pressure environment that can trigger a fight, flight, or freeze response.

    Media Training prepares executives by building ‘muscle memory’ on how to respond and remain in control.

    The fastest and most effective training is through experiential learning with trainers who have extensive media experience as senior working journalists and a camera crew with a full-size TV camera, broadcast lighting, and sound equipment.

    The focus of training must be building confidence, and a deep understanding of how the media works and what to expect.

    Adoni Media’s coaching prepares executives with the skills and techniques to manage an interview, how to prepare, methods to manage nerves, and how to apply bridging techniques to stay on message.

    Adoni Media’s Founder and Chief Media Trainer, Leisa Goddard, said it is about control to maintain authority under pressure, clarity to deliver key messages that connect with the audience, and composure to express empathy and credibility.

    The cost of not having strong media performers is high

    • Brand Damage: Poorly handled interviews can lead to negative headlines, public backlash, and lasting reputational harm.
    • Financial Impact: Loss of consumer trust, investor confidence, and partner relationships can directly affect revenue.
    • Employee Confidence: Internal teams lose faith in leadership when they see public miscommunication during high-pressure moments.

    Ms Goddard said experts she works with who facilitate crisis simulation exercises repeatedly identify media capability as a core risk exposure.

    “Poor media management can act as a multiplier risk and when crisis simulation exercises identify the gap in capabilities the number one recommendation is Media Training,” she said.

    Adoni Media has Australia’s most experienced Media Training team with former news bosses, senior journalists, and corporate communication specialists who expertly coach executives and spokespeople to confidently manage the media. The practical, on-camera training is delivered in boardrooms around the country and TV studios in Sydney and Brisbane. Adoni Media has been the Media Training provider of choice for corporates, charities, governments, and sporting organisations for the past 14 years.