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What Hostage Negotiators Can Teach Crisis Communications Specialists

By: Mihaela Grad | 01/10/2012

Strategies used by hostage negotiators can come in handy in issues and crisis management, according to Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation. While this approach may appear extreme to communications professionals, a closer look at the lessons outlined in "Crisis Communication - How to Avoid Being Held Hostage by Crisis Negotiations" shows that what works in life-and-death situations can work just as well when communicating with audiences driven by irrational emotions or fears during unpredictable, unstable situations. Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind:

1. "Contain the situation." Typically, police officers work to build direct -two-way communication with hostage takers to  build trust between the parties and encourage  cooperation. After containing the situation, hostage negotiators lay down the ground rules and agree to speak truthfully, thereby strengthening the trust between the two parties.

How is this relevant to communications professionals? While we often engage multiple stakeholders through a variety of channels, we should not overlook the importance of face-to-face communication, when both parties can lay out their positions and listen to each other. While we may not always succeed in changing opinions, we can help parties with opposing views move past stereotypes and engage in productive dialogue. By speaking directly with stakeholders, we can better understand their concerns and, in turn, respond quickly while also refining our messages to make them more clear and effective.

2. "Expand the 'emotional pie.'" Hostage negotiation experts always try to identify the underlying emotions that guide the hostage taker's behavior. Rather than present rational arguments, they use active-listening techniques and supportive language to get the hostage taker to open up and reveal the real root of the problem.

In a crisis, emotions run high. Uncovering what motivates stakeholders to behave a certain way or form certain beliefs is key to finding a solution to the problem. In a crisis situation, the affected parties can be left with the impression that their voices are not heard. Listening to and acknowledging the other party's position is a necessary first step towards resolving the situation.  Before bombarding the audience with rational arguments, which may not resonate as expected, we need to understand what emotions motivate the audience's beliefs or behaviors and address those first.

3. "Build a Relationship." Police negotiators encourage hostage takers to collaborate by bonding with them. When they say "We're in this together" or "Talk to me," they are establishing a relationship similar to that psychologists develop with their patients, leading them to find a solution together. 

As communicators, we also encourage our clients to engage counterparts in dialogue and enlist their participation in identifying solutions. Establishing a relationship based on trust can be difficult and can take time, but the results can be worth the effort. Reaching out to stakeholders may seem like a low priority when times are good, but when faced with a crisis, the absence of existing relationships can seriously hinder a company's ability to explain a controversial issue or protect its reputation during a crisis.

In a nutshell, the principles police teams follow to successfully negotiate with dangerous hostage takers, can help communications professionals navigate crisis situations more successfully and even prepare for potential crises: engage your counterparts in one-on-one dialogue; uncover the underlying emotions that guide their behavior; and enlist their participation in the search for solutions.

Posted in Issues and Crisis Management