Crisis Communications and a Bushel of Beans

Joni Ernst can't answer how much soybeans are while Dems Greenfield gets it spot on.

Any election season offers an avalanche of communications and PR lessons. 

This cycle, however, is on a whole other level. We could really write a book …

And that’s even before we consider the race for the White House.

In fact, an exchange during a Senate debate in the great state of Iowa between incumbent Joni Ernst and challenger Theresa Greenfield provided a bumper crop of lessons learned.

The debate moderator asked a “simple ag question,” delivering Greenfield what amounts to a layup for just about any Iowan – the break-even price for a bushel of corn. And indeed, Greenfield deftly rattled off the price, to the penny, and threw in some relevant context to boot.

Then it was Ernst’s turn to answer the same about soybean prices. It was pretty clear from the get-go that she did not know the answer. She first avoided the question entirely. When pressed, she threw out a number that was way off, and concluded by claiming she was having trouble hearing.

This awkward moment revealed three relevant takeaways for any leader who is in the spotlight -- whether political or otherwise -- particularly in a crisis communication situation. 

Know the fundamentals – If you are running for office in Iowa, best to know the price of soybeans – or at least be in the ballpark. Same goes for a leader in any specific field or industry. Nothing screams out-of-touch louder than lacking awareness of facts and information important to your key stakeholders and a broader audience.

Answer the question: Avoiding answering a direct question is never a good look. Even if it’s one you don’t want to answer, it’s best to at least acknowledge the question, provide a brief response, and then make a pivot to what you really want to talk about. 

If you don’t know, say so. Much like the coverup is always worse than the crime, the evasion is worse than the admission that you don’t know. If you’re drawing a blank or are unsure of an accurate answer, say so. You’re human and people can forgive a human response.

We’ll know soon whether this debate moment ultimately adds up to a hill of beans. 

Yet win or lose, you can bet Ernst is doing her homework these days. You should, too.