When facing leaks to the public or complaints made in public, leaders are often well advised to “ front up” (briefly, accurately and in writing) and “if in doubt, leave it out” (three to five sentences in an unemotive response is a good rule of thumb).
The old adage goes "a watched pot never boils," but it also has an inverse: "An ignored pot inevitably overflows. Being honest, respectful and transparent in all your communications will usually prevent bubbling issues from boiling over.
In these situations, the external pressure created by people outside your organisation can cause immense pressure behind the scenes for you and your team. What should you do when internal temperatures reach boiling point? Apparently putting a wooden spoon on top of the pot when boiling something and the water will stop it from boiling over?!
Outside the kitchen, when issues are simmering agree to discuss the topic within set rules. For example, act in good faith and trust that the discussion will be kept confidential between those directly involved.
When in discussions, create a shared goal and message to focus on when working the issue through. This can be at a macro-level for with your executive team if your whole business is affected, or at a more micro-level for a team of specific colleagues.
Sometimes the old cliché of “too many cooks spoil the broth” applies – make sure you keep only key people and key agencies involved in the details of the discussion and agree with them on a strategy of how and when to communicate the issue to the wider community.
If the tensions continue and relationships or reputations look like they are going to suffer in the long term, consider involving an independent mediator or advisor. It may be that a mediation between you and the third party could help you find a confidential resolution. Often giving people a private forum so that they can be fully heard on a without prejudice basis will diffuse these situations. Stopping everyone from getting burned (face it, I had to end with a cooking pun).
