Always have a goal before you start communicating Anyone who leads a religious congregation can tell you a thing or two about communication, and this week’s Crisis Management Quotable comes to us not from a run-of-the-mill clergyman, but the first Bishop of Texas, Alexander Gregg. Assisting his state and its …
Ferguson Chief’s Crisis Management Comes Late
Is this a sign of hope for resolution, or just smooth PR? The handling of Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri has been characterized by poor communication, over-reaction, and the creation of an “us vs. them” attitude. Today, in a move that comes far too late but also sparks hope …
Centerplate CEO Learns a Hard Crisis Management Lesson
When you’re a public figure, you are always, always “on stage” In late August, Desmond Hague, CEO of Centerplate, a catering company that supplies food and beverages to venues housing all four major professional sports leagues in both the U.S. and Canada, was caught on elevator surveilance video kicking and …
FIFA Draws Penalty with Nonexistent Crisis Management
Arrogant is not the word you want to be associated with when you’re caught with your hand in the cookie jar FIFA has been facing growing global pressure over its (allegedly) bribe-fueled decision to award the next two World Cups to Russia and Qatar, and the organization clearly still doesn’t understand …
NFL’s Old-School Crisis Management Doesn’t Cut It
It’s time to break the cycle of crisis As you’re certainly aware, the NFL is once again in desperate need of crisis management as a result of not only Ray Rice, but also the league’s handling of his entire situation. Many, especially the women who make up an estimated 45% …
Crisis Management Quotables…on Risking the Press
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 …
How to Handle Hostile Audiences
[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 …
Crisis Management Quotables…on Why You Don’t Cover-Up
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 …
CeeLo Green Tweets a Crisis Management #Fail
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 …
Crisis Management Quotables…on Creating a Lasting Reputation
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: …
Crisis Management Quickies: Worst-Case Scenarios
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 …
Crisis Management Musts: Owning Your Story
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 …
Crisis Management Quotables…on Making Communication Work
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 …
Infographic: Help Monitoring Your Online Reputation
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 …
Crisis Management: Through the Lens of Failure
[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 …