Ono the Ostrich CRISIS MANAGER
The Internet Newsletter about Crisis Management
Editor: Erik Bernstein
Publisher: Jonathan Bernstein

"For Those Who Are Crisis Managers,
Whether They Want to be or Not"


ISSN:1528-3836
© 2016 Jonathan Bernstein

Wells Fargo in the Capitol Hill Hot Seat


Volume XVII, Number 9

September 30, 2016

Just a Thought

"Stealing to eat ain't criminal - stealing to be rich is."

- Andrew Vachss

From the Editor
"This is about greed." - Al Green (D-Texas)

"You have proved you did not offer leadership in this ... I think you should submit a resignation." - Steve Pearce (R-New Mexico)

"You should be downright ashamed of yourself. Do you think your offenses were criminal?" - David Scott (D-Georgia)

These are just a few quotes from the (at the time of this writing) still-ongoing reaming Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf is receiving at the hands of the House Financial Services Committee.

He's been all-but commanded to resign, and there's been more than one mention of criminal charges. With the false account scandal that's embroiled the bank now known to be nearly five years deep, the questions are coming hard and fast, and it's clear that Stumpf has no good answers.

There may be no more clear proof that there is a culture problem at Wells Fargo, and that Stumpf is not the man to lead a change - or one to listen to any media trainer - than the exchange between the CEO and representative Gregory Meeks (D-New York). Meeks asked Stumpf what he'd do if someone robbed a bank and then tried to set it right with an apology. Stumpf, in an astounding attempt at spin that fell flat so hard I heard it here in Colorado, responded with, "I see something very different between being honest and breaking the code of ethics."

If that doesn't tell legislators and the public everything they need to know about what's going on behind closed doors at Wells Fargo then I don't know what will. If it's time to clean house folks, drop me a line if you need some help with the communications that will follow.

- EB

Interested in reprinting BCM articles or blog posts?
We're happy to give permission for material to be reprinted in hard copy or online!

If you find something you would like to reprint, simply submit a request to jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com.


Blogs
The Bernstein Crisis Management blog, along with our blog at the Free Management Library, are frequently updated and filled with case studies, advice, and the latest news on techniques, threats, and more.

Here, we share a look at some of the most popular posts from recent weeks:
Statistics have long driven decision-making at the highest levels of business. A Shocking Online Reputation Management Stat Collection could leave you feeling differently about the importance of online rep, or it could be the perfect tool to convince your boss that now is the time to create a plan.
Reviewing what could be a precedent-setting cases, Chipotle's Social Media Code of Conduct Ruled Illegal examines how the popular burrito chain was ordered to not use any code of conduct for online behavior at all.
A frequent response to negative online reviews is, "We'll sue (the poster/the site) and they'll take it down." Yelp Wins in Court Again: Why a Lawsuit Won't Fix Your Reputation is a great example of why this is pretty much never a good idea.
Winston Churchill once said, "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." Crisis Management Quotables...on Getting Your Pants On tells you what the heck this means, and why it matters to your organization.
Knowing How Social Media and Brand Transparency Impact Your Reputation is critical. In this post, learn how online behavior impacts real-world success.
It takes minutes to prepare and could save your life, or the life of someone you love. So, What's in Your Emergency Kit?

Do you have a topic you'd like to see featured in our blogs? Send an email to erik@bernsteincrisismanagement.com and there's a good chance you'll be seeing it right here in the next issue!

Business Announcements
(aka blatant self-promotion)
What if you could quickly find out how your stakeholders perceive you during a breaking crisis?

Bernstein Crisis Management now uses online surveys and other tools to get immediate stakeholder perception feedback, during a breaking crisis, with the option of continuing to monitor perception post-crisis.


Are There Any Holes in Your Crisis Planning?

Your organization may well have crisis prevention and response-related plans in place - but are you sure they're going to cover all the bases? Bernstein Crisis Management's Crisis Document Audit is a low-cost, flat-rate service which will quickly provide you with a comprehensive analysis of your existing plans and recommendations for improvement.
Contact jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com for more information.

We're Giving Away Keeping the Wolves at Bay and other crisis publications!

Several new items have been added to our FREE crisis management library, including Keeping the Wolves at Bay, the widely used media-training manual published by Jonathan Bernstein.

To visit the download page, click here.

Exciting New Services from Bernstein Crisis Management

We are are proud to introduce two new services that will allow us to better meet the needs of our clients!

First, from entering new markets to defending billion-dollar established industries, BCM's public affairs practice, led by twenty year veteran Greg Brooks, will help you win the battle for the hearts and minds of audiences from City Council to the halls of Congress.

Our second addition is based on the belief that an important piece in managing a crisis includes attending to the emotional reactions that influence the outcome. Presented and facilitated by Steven Degelsmith, Ph.D., our focused human factors in crisis management service will equip you with the tools you need to handle even the most volatile of situations.
Social Media Crisis Training

A solid social media manager has quickly become a must-have for organizations of any size, and can make an immense difference by driving in customers and building your positive reputation online.

The problem is, the vast majority are simply not equipped to even identify building crises, much less take the steps necessary to cope with and mitigate the damage that can result.

That's where we come in.

Bernstein Crisis Management is now offering crisis management training for social media managers, both independent and in-house, as well as social media firms.

For an overview of our services, estimates, or more information, contact erik@bernsteincrisismanagement.com


About Us



Jonathan Bernstein is both publisher of Crisis Manager and president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., a national crisis management public relations agency providing 24/7 access to crisis response professionals. The agency engages in the full spectrum of crisis management services: crisis prevention, response, planning & training. He has been in the public relations field since 1982, following five-year stints in both military intelligence and investigative reporting.

Write to Jonathan at:

Erik Bernstein is vice president of Bernstein Crisis Management, and editor of this newsletter. Working in crisis management since 2009, Erik has watched the internet and social media change the field. Today, he brings that experience to bear assisting clients to protect and grow their reputations using tactics based on real-world knowledge and experience.

Write to Erik at:




Legal Disclaimer (aka the small print)

All information contained herein is obtained by Jonathan Bernstein from sources believed by Jonathan Bernstein to be accurate and reliable.

Because of the possibility of human and mechanical error as well as other factors, neither Jonathan Bernstein nor Bernstein Crisis Management is responsible for any errors or omissions. All information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Bernstein Crisis Management and Jonathan Bernstein make no representations and disclaim all express, implied, and statutory warranties of any kind to the user and/or any third party including, without limitation, warranties as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose.

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A service of this newsletter is to provide news summaries and/or snippets to readers. In such instances articles and/or snippets will be reprinted as they are received from the originating party or as they are displayed on the originating website or in the original article. As we do not write the news, we merely point readers to it, under no circumstance shall Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein be liable to the user and/or any third party for any lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever due to the distribution of said news articles or snippets that lead readers to a full article on a news service's website, even if Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Authors of the original news story and their publications shall be exclusively held liable. Any corrections to news stories are not mandatory and shall be printed at the discretion of the list moderator after evaluation on a case-by-case basis.

In This Issue
Just A Thought
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