The press can be a great asset, IF you handle things correctly Show us someone who’s been in politics for over three decades and we’ll show you a master of dealing with the press. Hubert Humphrey started his political career in 1943 when he ran for mayor of Minneapolis, and …
[From the Ed: This guest blog comes to us courtesy of Australia-based communications expert Antoni Lee] Handling hostile audiences isn’t easy, but is sometimes necessary. I recently had serious fun with senior public servants, workshopping handling hostile audiences. Specific contexts warrant specific approaches, but the following general points may also …
Sweeping ugly truths under the rug will come back to haunt you down the road Last week we talked about the ability of battlefield generals to do crisis management, but this week we’re looking at another type of leader. Politicians might not be making decisions under direct fire, but they’re certainly …
Just because a court of law has made its decision doesn’t mean you can’t be tried in the court of public opinion Heavy legal maneuvering helped singer CeeLo Green avoid a possible rape case, settling for a plea of no contest to charges of slipping a woman ecstasy in her …
Talk is cheap, reputation is priceless Mencius was a fourth-century philosopher who studied and fought to preserve the teachings of Confucious against competing schools of thought. Of course, this meant he spent a LOT of time thinking about human nature, which likely led to him produce this week’s Crisis Management Quotable: …
Failing to consider the worst that could happen will hurt your crisis management It’s not easy to think of the worst things that could possibly happen involving your organization. It’s a bit scary, can get morbid, and basically leaves most people feeling squeamish, but it’s also absolutely vital to your …
Evidence of how the opinions of thought leaders can influence your fortune If financial analysts are telling investors that your organization needs crisis management, they’re right. You see, even if their analysis is wrong, the fact that experts are saying it means your reputation is at risk. Although Samsung has been …
Taking control of the narrative is essential One of the biggest battles you’ll fight in crisis management is the one to control the narrative surrounding whatever’s occurred. This doesn’t mean you can bury facts or cover up wrongdoing, but it does mean that you’re able to put your side of …
Ensuring communication is effective is core to crisis management success It turns out composer John Powell, perhaps best know for scoring movies like How to Train Your Dragon, Happy Feet and Kung-Fu Panda, knows a thing or two about verbal communication as well, making him the subject of today’s Crisis …
Why online reputation management is a core component of crisis management, and how to do it right Monitoring your online reputation is an essential crisis management skill, yet it’s still viewed by many as something beyond their reach. Truth is, while it does take some practice to get it down …
[Editor’s note: Thank you to our colleague Tony Jaques for submitting this post on how crises tint stakeholder’s views of the organizations involved long after they’re gone.] One of the underestimated impacts of a crisis is the fact that every subsequent event is magnified through the lens of the original …
Proof of the need to constantly keep your image, your mission, and your audience in mind when posting to social media It’s not entirely surprising to see brands getting too edgy or controversial as they compete to grab attention on social media, but one would hope for the folks running …
Differing viewpoints are essential to crisis management success Is there anyone more expert in crisis management than a successful battlefield commander? Not only are they tasked with applying limited information to make life-and-death decisions on a moment’s notice, but they must remain calm and precise, even while taking fire. Today’s Crisis …
Showing compassion without apologizing Apologies are powerful crisis management tools, but more and more often we’re seeing reputation-threatening situations that do not call for the ones taking flak to actually say “I’m sorry”. The most common situations are when organizations or individuals stand falsely accused, but other factors such as …
Insensitive remarks and a flop of an apology Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) is no stranger to criticism regarding public comments, especially when it comes to race, and he’s getting another lesson in why you should watch what you say after dropping a couple of doozies at the Asian …
