A Collegiate Crime of Passion

On January 10, 2011, the Auburn Tigers met the Oregon Ducks on neutral ground to compete for the BCS National Championship. Both teams came onto the field with a perfect 2010 season in their pockets, and this game carried a lot of emotion for fans, faculty, and students. As the final seconds of the game ticked down, a 19-yard field goal sealed the fate for the Oregon Ducks as Auburn took home the win. 

I remember driving down North College Street a few days after the game. Auburn looked like a blizzard had hit, yet it was not snow that covered the campus; instead, massive amounts of toilet paper covered every ounce of limb and ground around. The cherished tradition of rolling Toomer's Corner was not limited to the two oak trees following the major win this time. Students, fans, and faculty took to the entire front lawn, blanketing the campus in a sea of squishy white paper. As an alumna and current University employee at the time, it made my heart swell with pride to see. 

A few weeks later, the news broadcast the recording of a call "Al from Dadeville" made to The Paul Finebaum Show. The breaking news foretold the beloved trees soon coming demise at the hands of one crazed fan’s illegal attempt at revenge. 

I remember walking by the perfectly healthy-looking trees, wondering if the allegations were true or if Auburn's team of horticulture and forestry experts could save the oaks. Students set out flowers and rolls of toilet paper with "Get Well Soon" written on them as a memorial. Sure enough, time told the truth, and as spring approached, the trees' usually perky, green leaves did not; the oaks remained as barren as in winter.

In last week’s post, I focused briefly on the importance of a company having a crisis communications plan and policy in place for when their employees’ actions result in a negative viral news story. 

Harvey Updyke’s (a.k.a. Al from Dadeville) rash retaliation to seeing a statue of his team’s beloved former coach wearing a rival team’s quarterback jersey was not only a crisis for Auburn University but also his team. The University of Alabama and Auburn University had a unique situation that catapulted them together despite long-rooted, good-spirited hatred of the other. 

For those reading this post unfamiliar with the state of Alabama, let me catch you up. You see, in this state, the day you are born is also the day you are expected to pledge allegiance to a team. Toddlers are taught early on to yell, “Roll Tide Roll” or “War Eagle.” Brides plan their wedding dates in the fall AROUND football (absolute truth). Moreover, if your house somehow ends up divided, then rest assured an uncle or grandma is trying to convert the disagreeing party every time they end up in the same room. In fact, my grandma once took my quarter away when I told her I was going to purchase a red ribbon with it at school. The rivalry is intense, the fans are passionate, and sometimes we wish we could disown a few fans like the weird cousin in the family. Harvey was one of those fans. 

While Harvey had no particular connection to the University of Alabama, he was, in fact, a very dedicated fan of the Crimson Tide. He named both of his children after his love for the team. Harvey was passionate, and his actions and words prove that he was not concerned one bit for the legal ramifications as long as it was understood where his allegiance stood. However, the University of Alabama did not share his craze commitment and quickly had to act to keep their reputation out of harm’s way. Auburn University had to quickly act as well to encourage their fan base to not retaliate in any way that would add to the crisis. 

So how does a company prepare for the worst? 

According to Davia Temin, a contributor for Forbes, a company has the luxury of 15 minutes to prepare a plan and respond. While in the past, a company could put off responding to the media for maybe an afternoon, today’s social media climate shortens a company’s response time dramatically. 

“When news is transmitted around the globe in a nanosecond over social media, featuring real-time pictures and videos, there is little to no time to position, posture or even understand the facts before you are pressed to make a statement,” says Temin. “Because, if you do not speak for yourself quickly, or if you do so poorly, someone else – antagonist, police, government, competitor or anonymous hater – will speak for you. And in the world of public perception, the first mover has the advantage.”

In the case of the crazed fan poisoning the rival team’s beloved iconic trees, the University of Alabama had to quickly respond both internally and externally to key stakeholders to protect their identity. Alabama utilized Image Restoration Theory, first introduced by William Benoit, to help minimize their involvement in the situation and to distance themselves from the alleged wrongdoer. 

The theory consists of five particular strategies: 

1. Denial-The accused organization denies involvement in the crisis. 
2. Evasion of Responsibility-If the accused is unable to deny involvement; they will defer to another cause or reason as to why they are not to be held accountable.  
3. Reducing Offensiveness of Event-The accused might reduce the negative aspect of an event by pointing to more positive facts in general.
4. Corrective Action: The accused makes active steps to correct the situation and to prevent it from recurring. 
5. Mortification: The accused admits wrongdoing and asks for forgiveness. 

Since Harvey Updyke was not a former or current student, faculty, or staff member of the University of Alabama, the university was able to utilize denial, evasion of responsibility by pointing the blame to Updyke, and corrective action by condemning Harvey's actions and taking steps to show support for Auburn University. 

The Importance of Internal Communication

Whether your company is faced with a situation caused externally or internally, it is critical that a company keeps its employees up-to-date with action steps, company stances on the situation, and approved messaging for employees. 

According to Paul Barton, author of Maximizing Internal Communications, “Employee communications are at the heart of every company’s success. Most certainly, they stay at the heart of any crisis recovery. Employees need to see Internal Communication as a trusted and credible source for information. The function definitely has to communicate early and often. They have to provide staff with clear and timely insights, and consistent messages just like they do in any other form of employee communication. But, they also need to consider that everything gets amplified in a crisis – while all the basic rules are still in play, they get intensified.” 

Your employees are the key to ensuring your organization can remain on track and present a united front during a crisis. Your employees also deserve to be kept informed of progress. According to this article, internal communication “gives people more of a sense of ownership of the organization, and more of a feeling that everyone is working together toward the same goal. The combination of openness and the easy flow of communication to everyone combine to make people feel like part of a coherent whole, and to feel that their ideas and opinions are listened to and valued.”

In the case of Auburn and its dying trees, the University’s President, Jay Gouge, reminded students, staff, and fans to exemplify the beliefs expressed in the Auburn Creed: 

• I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work.
• I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully.
• I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.
• I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid, and in clean sports that develop these qualities.
• I believe in obedience to law because it protects the rights of all.
• I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.
• I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by "doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God."

And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.

And because Auburn men and women can passionately rally behind their school and team, it was essential the university remind students and other constituents to remain calm and poised.

Next week we will take a look at how organizational leaders can utilize strategic communications to unite employees around the mission and vision of an organization.