Maintaining Public Trust Amidst Opposition: An MSD Case Study
May 2023
Overview
As the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD)'s Manager of Public Affairs, I found myself at the helm of a significant critical communication challenge in 2023. The situation emerged amid a major infrastructure upgrade endeavor when a St. Louis County councilman publicly opposed the project, potentially fueling public misinformation and concern.
The fact that this challenge unfolded in a highly political and public context heightened the significance of our response. Through effective communication and proactive planning, we were able to uphold public trust and ensure the successful delivery of essential public infrastructure projects.
Objective
Effectively communicate the benefits and necessity of the improvements, address political opposition and misinformation, and maintain public trust and support.
Tactics
We employed a two-pronged communication strategy: proactive outreach through a press release and stakeholder communication, and a reactive messaging plan if necessary.
Results
Our successful critical communication response led to 80% positive or neutral media coverage, indicating an effective control of the narrative despite unexpected political opposition.
Proactive Planning: The Two-Pronged Approach
In managing critical communication for this project, I implemented a two-pronged approach focusing on proactive outreach and ready reactive strategies.
Proactive Communication
Firstly, I communicated directly with key stakeholders throughout the planning process to gain their support. By getting their buy-in early, I could include their support in our public outreach.
Second, I preemptively released a detailed press release including direct quotes from our key stakeholders. In addition to posting the press release publicly, I shared it directly with our entire stakeholder network, ensuring they heard about this project from us first.
Reactive Strategy
I also devised a reactive strategy to tackle unexpected issues. I developed responses to potential contentious topics, aimed at preventing misinformation and maintaining a consistent message. Additionally, I was ready to quickly pitch a news story to control the narrative if needed.
In essence, the combination of preemptive communication and well-planned reactive strategies allowed us to successfully navigate the communication challenges, ensuring public trust and the continuation of our essential infrastructure project.
Navigating Misinformation
In the face of unexpected opposition and public concern, our two-pronged communication strategy truly proved its worth. The local councilman issued a press release riddled with inaccuracies about our infrastructure project, which garnered the attention of several local news outlets.
Reactive Media:
Thankfully, I was prepared for such a turn of events. The reactive communication plan, meticulously designed to address potential misinformation, was promptly put into action. The local reporters' queries were met with swift responses, providing factual clarification on the project's purpose and impact.
Proactive Media:
Simultaneously, I seized the opportunity to tell our side of the story. I pitched a compelling narrative directly to a different TV outlet, successfully securing coverage that underscored our rationale for the project. By controlling the narrative, I was able to address the misinformation head-on and present the project's benefits clearly to the public.
KSDK
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Business Journal
KTVI
Public Response
One of the most remarkable outcomes of our comprehensive communication approach was the overwhelming positive public response. Despite the initial misinformation and controversy, our dedicated efforts in proactive outreach and reactive communication strategies paid off.
Nearly all of the public comments on the news coverage were in our favor, indicating a broad understanding and acceptance of our project's purpose and benefits.