Fauci Will Leave Behind Key Crisis Communication Lessons When He Retires In December

Dr. Anthony Fauci likely has more experience dealing with health-related crisis situations than anyone else now in the public or private sectors. When, as he announced today, retires in December as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci will leave behind important crisis communication lessons for business executives.

No Room For Disinformation And Dishonesty

News of Fauci’s pending retirement “should serve as a ‘teaching moment’ for those in the field of crisis management,” Adam H. Brill, senior director of communications at the Harrison Edwards PR agency where he is responsible for crisis communications and reputation management, said via email.

“Dr. Fauci’s steady leadership, matter-of-factness, and dedication to doing the right thing is exactly why he was the right leader at the right time when our nation needed sensible and logical information to navigate the pandemic,” he noted.

“In a crisis—especially when life and property are lost—there is no room whatsoever for disinformation and dishonesty. Messages must be clear, factual, timely, and supported by evidence. Not by mere opinion or empty rhetoric,” Brill said.

“It’s why [Fauci] prevailed in the court of public opinion and amassed legions of supporters who respected his integrity. Because integrity matters, especially in a crisis. In short, people believe people who deliver bad news respectfully and with compassion and sincerity.”

“Moreover, Dr. Fauci wasn’t deterred or afraid to change direction as needed when new information had to [be] delivered to save more lives,” he observed.

Showcase Calm And Transparency

“In a crisis, business leaders need to showcase a sense of calm and transparency in their responses to even the most dire situations,” Amy Levy, president of Amy Levy Public Relations, said in a statement.

“Dr. Fauci has been steadfast in his messaging, often at great personal risk to himself and his family when clashing with our former president. He offered a voice of reason and he captured our attention with factual information that he delivered with elegance,” she said.

‘Only Half The Answer’

“As Fauci noted, the greatest threat to our country's health and well-being has not been the coronavirus or other deadly killers. Instead, it is the intense polarization that keeps our country from pulling together in response,” Wendy Smith, a professor of management at the University of Delaware, said vis email.

“Having studied both/and thinking for the last 25 years, what we can learn from Fauci is that having the answer is only half the answer,” she commented.

“More importantly, we need to know how to bring people together toward collective action. Doing so is particularly challenging in conditions of uncertainty, fear and anxiety—as in the pandemic. Fauci's skill was in knowing how to listen, to engage, and to connect across the partisan divides,” Smith concluded.

Build Trust

“Developing and maintaining public trust during Covid-19 was a significant and unfaltering responsibility for Fauci,” leadership expert Antonio Garrido and author of My Daily Leadership: A Powerful Roadmap For Leadership Success said via email.

But “regardless of strong criticism, he remained committed to advising the public using the science and data available. As Fauci himself says: ‘Stick with the truth, not what people want to hear.’”

“Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Fauci continuously strived to build and maintain public trust during an unprecedented —and unpredictable—crisis,” Christy Reiss, senior account executive and member of the crisis communication team at Matter Communications, said in a statement.

“He made himself readily available to the public through press conferences, provided regular updates on status, and explained the nuances of the pandemic in a digestible way,” she recalled.

Messaging

Fauci “consistently exhibited one of the most important elements of effectively managing crises…by stating ‘what is known at any given time and what is not known,” Brian Ballou, the EY Professor of Accountancy and cofounder of the William Isaac & Michael Oxley Center for Business Leadership at the Farmer Business School at Miami University,” said in a statement.

‘He Stuck To His Guns’

“Further, [Fauci] consistently was informed of the latest research findings by his agency; partnering agencies; and globally respected agencies, universities and other practicing scientists.”

“Political forces at times led to opponents challenging his efforts to be ‘open and honest’ when his updates on needed behaviors became unpopular due to fatigue or other reasons. However, he stuck to his guns and continued to provide updates based on direct dialogue with scientists and other informed parties,” Ballou pointed out.

Respond Immediately

As I wrote in January, “A best practice in dealing with a crisis is to respond to allegations and charges you or your company believe are damaging, false or misleading. Dr. Anthony Fauci did just that on Tuesday in response to statements that have been made by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).”

“According to NPR, “Paul has falsely accused Fauci of being responsible for millions of deaths, and at a Senate hearing on Covid-19 on Tuesday, Fauci said the charge ‘kindles the crazies out there.’”

‘A Blueprint For Others To Follow’

“In a crisis of this scale with misinformation abound, it’s critical to choose one spokesperson who becomes your go-to, and one that conveys authority and knowledge,” Reiss of Matter Communications counseled.

“Most importantly, your spokesperson must speak to the reality of a situation, lean on the most up-to-date data, and provide recommendations and next steps that the public can easily act on and gives them a feeling of control.”

“Dr. Fauci fulfilled each of these requirements, and it is a blueprint for others to follow closely and business leaders to study when dealing with their own crisis,” she concluded.