How Elon Musk Is Contributing To Twitter’s Worsening Crisis

Elon Musk has responded to the self-inflicted crisis at Twitter with a communications strategy that appears to rely on snark and bombast over transparency and calm, crisis communications experts say.

Rather than make a difficult situation better, they say, Musk has made things worse and continues to create confusion and uncertainty about the future of the social media platform he now owns.

Musk told Twitter employees yesterday that the company could be billions of dollars in the red next year and that “‘bankruptcy is not out of the question ’if the company can’t “’ bring in more cash than we spend,’” the New York Times reported.

Here’s how Musk’s creation and management of Twitter’s crisis to date measure up against several best practices for communicating and responding to a crisis.

Stay Calm

‘In a crisis, one of the most important factors to come out relatively unscathed is to stay calm, and Elon has proven again and again that he has a hard time keeping his ego and emotions in check,” Aquila Mendez-Valdez, CEO of PR firm Haute in Texas, said via email.

Listen

“In order to de-escalate a situation, we always advise clients to listen and learn from what their consumers are saying and never get defensive. Elon is bucking that advice on a daily basis,” she observed.

Communicate Strategically

“It would appear from the outside looking in” that Musk does not have a crisis communication strategy, Mendez-Valdez said.

“He's shooting from the hip with snarky and often wildly contradictory tweets, angering and upsetting Twitter employees who should be having his back in this time of crisis, and continue to cause further turmoil with his inflammatory nature,” Mendex-Valdez said.

Musk “has created a crisis by leaving Twitter employees and followers in the dark over his plans for the future of the platform. He is communicating with a top-down approach to a company that was founded on a social infrastructure,” Saul Hudson, managing partner of public relations firm Angle42, said via email.

“In a crisis, we typically suggest three steps: lay out a clear plan, communicate vigorously why this plan is being implemented and how it will impact the future of the company, and put the plan [into] action with involvement from your team,” he advised.

Lower The Temperature

“Musk should lower the temperature within his sector of the Twitterverse so the focus is on any positive changes he is making with the platform. There needs to be a shift from public feuding to showcasing his plans with an upbeat tempo,” Baruch Labunski, CEO of Rank Secure, said via email.

“Second, some changes should be brought on more gradually to keep the tension to a minimum. Third, you don't have to advertise all your changes. A private business isn't required to say anything. Sometimes, it's best just to make the change quietly,” Labunski recommended.

Set The Right Tone

“Leaders must set the tone both internally and public facing. Musk is doing just the opposite. His actions aren't painting him in the best light as a leader, especially to future Twitter employees he looks to recruit,” Eric Yaverbaum, CEO of Ericho Communications, said via email.

‘’These actions and words send a clear message of instability to not just current and prospective employees, but to those at the top as well as advertisers and potential partners who are now watching him closely. This could have lasting impacts on a company, even years down the line,,” he predicted.

Utilize Your Resources

“I have no doubt Elon has a staff at his disposal that could be making this entire fiasco much less of a disaster, but if he chooses to continue to be a renegade with no regard for others' opinions, he's digging his own grave,” Mendez-Valdez pointed out

“At times, we can be our own worst enemy, but when you have the resources and experts at your fingertips to advise you on how to handle a crisis or delicate situation, it's essential that you trust those experts to do their jobs,” she advised.

Consult With Experts

"Business executives can watch this unfolding lesson and remember to ensure that all legal, public affairs, and communications leaders are consulted when undertaking any decision that will be publicly well known,” Babar Khan Javed, the director of public affairs at Z2C Limited,” said via email.

Give People A Chance

“The right approach to firing the bloated employees was to avoid formal evaluations, walk weak staff through a training program, and give everyone a chance to improve. The right way to speak with advertisers was to understand their goals and concerns and adapt the business accordingly against upfronts,” he suggested.

Justify Changes

“The correct approach for introducing the $8 per month price was to track customer sentiment to understand the value the business can provide to justify the value-based pricing,” Javen said.

“It appears that billionaires are so used to getting away with their 'shoot first, ask questions later approach that even the best advisors fall mute to their rampage. To retain the best talent and preserve brand equity, including long-term goodwill amid a recession, choose kindness over self-interest,” he advised.

Get Back On Track

“Since Saturday, Mr. Musk...has embarked on a tweeting spree so voluminous that he is on a pace to post more than 750 times this month, or more than 25 times a day, according to an analysis from the digital investigations company Memetica,” the New York Times reported on Nov,. 7.

“That would be up from about 13 times a day in April when Mr. Musk first agreed to buy Twitter,” according to the news organization.

To help get Twitter back on track, “the first step would be to put an immediate end to off-the-cuff remarks and tweets. A clear strategic plan should be laid out, with consistent messaging and neutral, empathetic language,” Mendez-Valdez recommended.

Have A Plan

“I can't remember when we last saw someone take over a company and drive it into the ground so recklessly and clearly without a business plan,” John Goodman, CEO of John Goodman PR, said via email.

“First, by haphazardly firing employees, some who were critical to the business. Musk has decimated his PR staff when Twitter needs it most. The same in technology, sales and marketing. And the chaos he has created has cut the oxygen supply to the funding he needs most—advertising,” he noted.

“No advertiser is going to invest in Twitter until Musk shows some stability and evidence he can successfully run the company. This mess was created solely by Musk. Sometimes when you think you are the smartest person in the room—you are not, “ he concluded.