In recent years it has seemed difficult to start a term with all our schools open – Covid, teacher strikes and this year the unsafe concrete issue, or RAAC, has meant some schools haven’t opened as planned, writes Penguin Kirsty Green.
For those headteachers, the last-minute notification that they couldn’t welcome back students, just as term was about to start, understandably threw the Government’s planning and decision-making in the spotlight.
It was down to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to face the media, explain the situation, offer empathy and understand the frustration felt by many schools and parents.
Unfortunately, her words on camera attempting to answer important questions from an ITV reporter will largely be forgotten due to her comments after the interview had finished – but when the cameras were still rolling.
It was in this moment that her poise gave way to her own frustrations and the now famous “choice” language which she later had to apologise for.
Aside from her swearing, her off-hand remarks were damaging in another way – they focused on her. “Why does no-one ever say you’ve done a ******* good job?” She asked.
Even when later apologising for her rant, she said thinking about the RAAC situation had meant she hadn’t slept well.
From a PR perspective, this is a huge no-no from a leader when dealing with a crisis. Your role in those situations is to understand the problem that is being faced, how it is affecting others and how it can be resolved going forward. How it gave you a sleepless night, or how you’re not getting recognition for trying to deal with it is not the public’s concern. In fact, voicing those views will make the public question the authenticity of any remorse you do show and overshadow the key messages you are trying to convey.
Ms Keegan’s first error, therefore, was making the statement at all, but especially to a journalist, when the cameras were rolling.
As PR advisers we know many of our clients have a nervousness around and distrust of journalists, fearing their every word will be twisted or misinterpreted. In most cases, this concern is unnecessary. As PR professionals, and all of us with journalistic backgrounds, at Penguin PR we understand what reporters are looking for, and what information they are likely to use.
But that is also why we attend media interviews with our clients. We know when an ‘off record’ comment, something a journalist sees, or the wider news agenda, risks taking an interview off track. And we can step in to manage the situation.
Journalists are rarely out to ‘trip’ up anyone but their job is to respond to live events and the public mood – and that’s why we make that our job too when advising clients. We can take in the bigger picture to make sure the focus stays on your message.
