Michelle Rodger: It's crucial to hone your message in a battle

The last few days have seen some stunning examples of what can go wrong if you fail to get your message across accurately

IAM considering drafting a pilot script for a three-part docu-drama television series. Communication Communication Communication will focus on three high-profile case studies and the crisis management skills and strategies demonstrated, or rather the lack thereof.

The last few days have seen some stunning examples of what can go wrong if you fail to get your message across accurately, concisely and consistently and don't engage with the right people on the right level at the right time.

So, three challenges and three plans: secure Wall Street, thus stabilising the economy and preventing global financial fallout; guarantee the safety of Irish bank customers' savings; and pick a vote-winning Republican running mate.

Let's look at case study number one: the bailout of Wall Street. Erroneously positioned as a rescue attempt, this created the impression that the poor taxpayer was merely paying for mistakes made by wealthy bankers and, with elections coming up, politicians were keen to be seen sympathising with voters. It wasn't until the deal was rejected last Monday and politicians felt the immediate – and personal – pain of their decision in their own pockets that there was a shift towards acceptance and an understanding of the wider implications.

The average American taxpayer didn't understand what needed to happen, and the lack of explanation about the essential billion dollar bolstering of Wall Street resulted in a financial "meltdown".

President Bush communicated bad body language and failed to deliver the message in a way that Mr America could understand. Bush couldn't explain effectively that the implication of punishing those who had made the mistakes would hurt them even more than bailing them out to the tune of 700 billion tax dollars.

Now consider the second study: the Irish government's response to the immediate risk to customers' savings caused by the credit crunch and the lack of confidence in the economy resulting from the previously discussed case study.

It did the right thing by responding to customer fears and demands – 100% guarantee of their funds. But the decision has infuriated the EU because the government failed to communicate its plans. Now the Irish government has found itself at the centre of anti-competition allegations that this move will make Irish banks seem more attractive to customers than their British counterparts. Well, forgive me; I thought that was the definition of competition.

So even when you think you've got it right, you can still get it seriously wrong.

Moving swiftly on to the third study: Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for US vice-president. Likening herself to a fierce canine was clearly not the best way to communicate her ability for the job. She failed to answer accusations that she had no foreign policy experience – applying for her first passport last year didn't satisfy her critics – and just prior to Thursday's live VP debate her own backroom team made a call to "give her a break" and requested a limit on the number of questions on foreign policy.

What kind of message does that communicate? Do you think Vladimir Putin would give her a break, give her time to settle into her new role? So why should we?

In all three cases it is important to set aside – for the time being anyway – exactly how they got into this mess. The immediate focus should be on how to communicate effectively with the stakeholders – employees, suppliers, customers, investors, voters – and how to engage with the media to ensure that happens successfully.

So while stocks and shares fluctuate, we in small and medium-sized businesses would do well to learn the art of communication.

A recent report has warned that during the next five years 83% of companies will face a "crisis" – described by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (2008) as an "abnormal situation, or even perception, which is beyond the scope of everyday business and which threatens the operation, safety and reputation of an organisation" – that will negatively impact profitability by between 20% and 30%.

In other words, we don't necessarily know what's around the corner, but when it hits eight out of 10 businesses we'd damn well better know how to handle it and, even more importantly, we'd better know how to communicate it.