In professional communications, protecting the client’s image/brand/reputation is at the top of the priority list. In a crisis, this means promoting your version of events, managing the media coverage where possible, and minimizing the damage. It never ceases to amaze me that organizations of all shapes and sizes believe that the best method of doing so is to say or do nothing, which is the worst possible response in most cases. The second worst choice is to say, “No comment.” Unless you’re a criminal lawyer or a Hollywood publicist, you just won’t get away with it.

Although it may look like a fast, safe way out of a sticky media confrontation, “no comment” is not your friend. It is stonewalling, pure and simple, and it looks and sounds that way on camera. It also won’t prevent you from appearing on the news. Just ask Lieutenant Detective Mark Gillespie and at least two other officials from the MBTA. There is nothing more unsettling than a montage of “no comment” employee sound bites on the evening news.

If you have something to hide, “no comment” will make you look guilty as sin. You’re far better off crafting a statement that makes clear your version of events. A well-crafted statement makes sure that your message is heard, no matter how hot the situation. Don’t worry about sounding rehearsed. Better to sound rehearsed than to appear immersed in a cover-up, adding more fuel to the fire.

If you don’t have anything to hide, “no comment” is your worst enemy. I’m continually shocked by the number of successful business people who think it’s the right response when they’re simply unprepared. Nothing could be further from the truth. At best, it will make you look uninformed. At worst, it can create controversy where there previously was none.

In my career, I have tried to eradicate “no comment” from my clients’ lexicon. Here are five ways to make sure your organization’s reputation doesn’t fall victim to the “no comment” trap:

1. Have a crisis communications plan in place, long before a crisis hits. The plan should include a prioritized list of spokespersons along with prepared scripts and response procedures to address likely scenarios (if you’re a chemical manufacturer, for example, you might want a plan for a spill at a manufacturing site, an accidental poisoning, or other somewhat foreseeable events). Even if you are a small business or a non-profit, hire a public relations professional to help you create the plan and to be available to assist in the event of a crisis.

2. Make it someone’s job to be the media liaison. Depending on the size of your organization, it can be anyone from the owner/CEO to the office manager. Then make sure the person has the tools to do the job effectively: media training, writing and speaking skills, access to management, and the ability to obtain professional PR support when needed.

3. Don’t stonewall; be helpful. Reporters have a job to do, and it isn’t usually smearing reputations. They just want accurate information. Do what you can to provide it for them, in a way that serves your interests and casts you in the best possible light. If they get what they need, they’ll actually go away — at least temporarily — to file their stories.

4. Avoid letting your lawyer craft your message. Your legal team is there to provide you with advice and minimize exposure; you should embrace the solutions your attorneys recommend. However, they may not be trained to use language that plays well to the average news consumer. Have a PR pro help you adopt the right content, tone and style to get your message heard.

5. Train all of your employees to deliver the right message. You don’t have to provide a detailed script for everyone to memorize. Just designate one person to handle all media inquiries, and make sure your employees know how to refer media members to the designee. That way, they can be helpful without actually divulging any information. I can say with a high degree of confidence that an employee who is approached by a camera crew for a comment will not appear on the air when the response is, “I don’t have enough information to answer your question. You should really talk to Jane Smith at 555-5555.”

In short, erase “no comment” from your vocabulary. You and your organization will be better served as a result.